Melchie Dumornay Visits Florida

Melchie Dumornay Visits Florida

by Herby Richemond

Initially scheduled to be  in Ecuador for a friendly match between Haiti and Ecuador, the game was postponed by the Ecuadorian Football Federation. This delay provided several players, who were already in Florida, the chance to enjoy a few days of vacation. One such player was Melchie Dumornay, the Best Young Player of 2024. Invited by Excel Medical Associate, she took advantage of her time in the sunny city to reconnect with old friends. The finalist of the recent Women's Champions League with Olympique Lyonnais visited several sites in Florida.

In an interview with Streamstek, specifically on the show "Delva Calcio" presented by renowned sports journalist Blanc Delva Élysée, the Haitian star spoke extensively about her recent performance in the Champions League. She also shared insights about her arrival in France, her adaptation period, her time at Stade de Reims, and her transition to the Lyonnais team. Melchie expressed her gratitude towards key figures who contributed to her success, such as coach Jean-Claude Josephatt and former president of the Haitian Football Federation Dr. Yves Jean Bart, acknowledging their guidance and leadership that helped her become a well-appreciated athlete.

Additionally, Melchie highlighted the influence of players like Kerly Theus and Nerilia Mondesir, whose journeys inspired her to pursue her dreams. The Haitian media, which regards her as the country's second greatest athlete after Silvio Cator in 1924, has praised her achievements. Melchie Dumornay was also honored to kick off the Gala match organized between Little Haiti FC and Agapê Football Club, a perfect opportunity for her to reunite with long-time friends and former teammates like Nahomie Ambroise, Kerly Theus, and Limage.

Ten Florida local officials attended the game to honor her presence. Among the notable attendees were representatives from various sectors, including the commissioner of Miami-Dade County, Ms. Marleine Bastien's representative Mr. Derisca Mitnick, North Miami Beach Commissioner Daniela Jean, Principal Wallace Aristide, North Miami City Councilman Pierre Frantz Charles, North Miami Councilwoman Marie Irvin Estimé, and former Florida State Senator Daphné Campbell. Many Haitian athletes, journalists, and fans gathered to support and encourage Melchie to continue her remarkable journey and represent Haiti proudly.

Melchie Dumornay's journey:

In 2013, when Melchie Dumornay arrived at Haiti's National Football Training Center in a suburb of Port-au-Prince, she was called "Piti," meaning "small" in Haitian Creole. Standing a head shorter than her peers at just ten years old, she was almost sent back to her hometown of Mirebalais, a mountainous town northeast of the capital, for being deemed "too small and too young." However, having grown up playing football barefooten with older, bigger boys, she was determined to compete. A coach eventually allowed her to play. Two years later, she was part of the national under-15 team. At fourteen, she won the Golden Ball at the CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship, a tournament featuring strong teams like the United States.

In the same year, 2018, she led the national under-20 team to its first-ever participation in the U-20 World Cup in France. It was there that Amandine Miquel, coach of Stade de Reims in the French first division, first noticed Dumornay. Miquel was initially there to observe the German team but quickly realized that the standout talent was from the other side of the world. Although Haiti was eliminated early in the tournament, Melchie’s performance was unforgettable. In a recent Eurosport documentary, she said, "We played with a lot of heart, and I don't think the German players will ever forget that game."

Regarded as one of the most promising talents of her generation in women's football, Melchie Dumornay won the NXGN Award from Goal in 2022 as the best teenage player in the world. When discussing Haitian football today, Melchie Dumornay’s name is inevitably brought up. She promises all her fans an even better season next year.

Herby Richemond

Director of Communications, LHFC

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