Bio

Claude Toukene currently serves as a Special Education Teacher and the Head Cross Country, Track and Field Coach at Western Branch High School.  Graduated from Norfolk State University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science Degree, cum laude, majoring in Exercise Science and minor in math.  Received a Master’s Degree in Education from Cambridge College. He is a certified special education teacher and French teacher and has also taught math.  Career aspiration is to further his education and become a physical therapist /orthopedics.  Several goals, to include helping people with rehabilitation, congenital defect and working with injured athletes.  Additionally, intends to teach at the college level as well as continue to employ counseling abilities to develop young men and women to become productive citizens.  Claude Toukene is fluent in five languages. 

 In addition to running post collegiate from 2001-2005,Avia club Issy LES Moulineaux Paris France and  Asptt Rouen, France, Coach Toukene has several exceptional leadership accomplishments globally, ranging from Africa to the Olympics to coaching:

• 2 time National Coach of the Year (2014-2015)
• 4 time USTFCCA Virginia Coach of the Year (2014, 2015, 2016,2017)
• 7 time Milestat Virgina Coach of the Year
• Chesapeake Coach of the Year (2015)
• Norfolk Coach of the Year (2015)
• 2 time Portsmouth (2008,  2014)
• 2 time Olympian (1996 Atlanta Games and 2000 Sydney Games),
• 4 World Championships (Sweden 1995 , Greece 1997, Spain 1999, Canada 2001),
• 2 Commonwealth Games (Malaysia 1998, England 2002),
• 2 Francophone Games (France 1994, Canada 2001),
• 2-time Bronze medalist at African Championships (Cameroon 1996, Senegal 1998),
• 1 All-African Games (Zimbabwe 1995),
• 1 World University Games (Buffalo, New York, USA 1993),
• 2 Central African Championships (Chad 2004, Cameroon 2005),
• 2 time Champion of Ile de France (Paris 1995 and  Paris2002),
• 6 time High School Champion in Cameroon,
• 3 time 100m Champion in Cameroon,
• Captain of the Cameroon National team (1998 to 2005),
• NCAA Finalist (1998 in Buffalo New York),
• 6 Individual MEAC titles,5 realies titles
• 2 Relay titles (1998 to 2000),
• MEAC Most valuable athlete Outdoor (1998), Colgate Award Recipient (1999).

 Claude Toukene has led high school, collegians, and Olympian athletes to distinguished success with his coaching competencies: 

• Coached 1 Olympian, 3 African Championship medalists, 12 collegiate athletes at club level with 1 Silver Medalist at the Junior Pan-American Games, and a representative and consultant for the Cameroon Federation of Track and Field in the USA.
• 1 athlete world junior championship, 2 world youth championships
• 5 National records and 11 VA State records
• Coached 23 team Virginia State Championships and 13  team Virginia State Runner-Ups,
• 36 Virginia Eastern Region/South Region  Team Championships, 10 Virginia Eastern Region/South Region  Team Runner-ups,
•  48 Virginia Southeastern District/conference 6A Team Championships, and 12 Virginia Southeastern District Season Titles.
• 9 time US #1 National Ranking for Indoor Season, 2008 – 2017, Dyestat Track & Field Rankings. 
• Third and sixth place finishes at the Nike Track Nationals in Eugene, Oregon.
• Produced over 200 All-American athletes, 32 National Champions, more than a 250 All-State Athletes, and 81 Virginia State Champions at the High School level( including relays).
• Coached over 100 athletes to college on scholarships (75 Division I athletes).

 Personal:

• Married to Dr. Joann Toukene.
• 3 children:  Johanna – 10 years, Olivia – 8 years, Jean-Claude – 6 years.
• Born on February 15, 1975 in Cameroon, Africa,  former French and British colony in central Africa.
• Mother retired as a schoolteacher.  Father worked in Education as well in Cameroon
• Selected to the U-17 Cameroon National soccer team.
• Did not accept a coaching stipend for 10 years .  Stipend directed to the assistant coaching staff.
• Currently working on prerequisites to start physical therapy school.
• Most pride is taken in helping kids starting from their freshman year, grow and develop positively as student-athletes into young men and women.  Being referred to as a father figure is a humbling experience.  Having former athletes return to both continue training and serve on the coaching staff is a great feeling.  The goal is to mentor and help kids succeed in life. Each kid that succeeds is a generation we have impacted.Coach Toukene is known for for saying I don’t coach track and field I coach life .