The Paris 2024 Olympics came to a close on Monday, August 12, 2024. Africans played a prominent role in the Olympics, and we take a look at the top 15 African moments at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
THE SMILING ASSASSIN REWRITES THE HISTORIC BOOKS
East Africans know a thing or two about winning marathon races, and Kenyan marathon sprinter Beatrice Chebet was no exception. Chebet rewrote the history books once again. The Kenyan sprinter knows how to shatter records, and she has now added another impressive achievement to her illustrious list.
Fondly called “The Smiling Assassin,” she claimed two historic gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
She secured victory in the women’s 5000m race, finishing in 14 minutes, 28.56 seconds, 1 minute and 4 seconds ahead of fellow Kenyan Faith Kipyegon, who finished second. Her relentless determination paid off in the final moments of the race, pulling into the lead to secure the victory for herself.
Four days later, she made history again in the women’s 10,000m race final, finishing first ahead of Nadia Battocletti. Chebet became the first Kenyan woman to win a gold medal in the 10,000m race category and the third woman in history to win gold in both the 5000m and 10,000m race categories in the same Olympic campaign.
KENYAN EXCELLENCE
Kenya won four gold medals at the 2024 Olympics, the most of any African country. As expected, they secured all their medals in athletic events. They also topped the African Olympic medal table with four gold, two silver, and five bronze medals, totaling eleven medals.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi secured a gold medal in the Men’s 800m, Faith Kipyegon secured a gold medal in the Women’s 1500m, while Beatrice Chebet secured gold medals in the Women’s 5000m and 10,000m races.
Ronald Kwemoi won a silver medal in the Men’s 5000m, while gold medalist Faith Kipyegon earned a silver medal in the Women’s 5000m race.
Benson Kipruto secured a bronze medal in the Men’s marathon race, while Abraham Kibiwot earned bronze in the Men’s 3000m steeplechase.
Mary Moraa secured a bronze medal in the Women’s 800m race, Hellen Obiri won bronze in the Women’s marathon, and Faith Cherotich secured their third bronze medal in the Women’s 3000m steeplechase.
LETSILE TEBOGO: A CONTINENT’S PRIDE
Botswanan athlete Letsile Tebogo’s remarkable performance in the final of the Men’s 200m race at the Paris 2024 Olympics is still deeply ingrained in the minds of everyone. He went toe-to-toe with gold medal favorites Noah Lyles and Kenneth Bednarek, and Tebogo dominated the race.
The African sprinter surged ahead midway through the race, maintaining his lead until he crossed the finish line. In the process, Tebogo not only secured Botswana’s first-ever Olympic gold medal but also became the first African male athlete to win gold in the Men’s 200m race. He completed the race in an African record time of 19.46 seconds.
It was a remarkable display of persistence and grit from Letsile Tebogo. Despite finishing sixth in the final of the 100m race on Sunday, he remained undeterred, and his determination paid off in the 200m final.
He also helped his nation secure a second-place finish in the 4 x 400m relay race final. As far as Olympic campaigns go, this was a special one for Botswana, thanks to their 21-year-old gold medalist.
D’TIGRESS PUT ON A SHOW
The Nigerian female basketball team was a huge force to be reckoned with at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The African champions further solidified their status as champions in Paris.
They had a bright start to the tournament, defeating Australia in their opening group stage match before falling to hosts France in the following match. They put up a remarkable fight to defeat Canada in their final group stage match and qualify for the quarterfinals. An iconic performance and a slice of history! They prevailed over the Canadians 79-70 to become the first African team (male or female) to compete in the quarterfinals of the Olympic Basketball competition. Though the Nigerian female basketball team succumbed to eventual champions United States in the quarterfinals, they were nonetheless impressive.
The Nigerian team coach Rene Wakama was named Coach of the Tournament. Point guard Ezinne Kalu was also named to the FIBA All-Second team of the tournament.
A historic outing by D’Tigresses!
- KIPCHOGE SAYS GOODBYE
Kenyan marathon athlete Eliud Kipchoge has called time on his iconic Olympic career. He arrived at the 2024 Olympics with one goal in mind: to become the only marathon athlete to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals.
He started the marathon final valiantly, staying with the lead group. With age not on his side, the Kenyan gradually moved at a slower pace, persevering bravely before coming to a stop at the 31st kilometer after running for an hour and 40 seconds.
In a show of class, he stopped and allowed the last-placed racer to run past him before he abandoned the race. He waved to the fans, threw them his shoes, his bib, and his T-shirt, and then retired.
He has since branded it the worst marathon race of his career, but nonetheless, he’ll take pride in his great efforts at his age. Kipchoge is one of only three men to win the gold medal twice in the Olympic marathon race. He is considered the greatest marathoner of all time, and the tracks will definitely miss his presence.
AMUSAN FALLS SHORT
Team Nigeria’s flag bearer and women’s 100m hurdles world record holder Tobi Amusan had a disappointing Olympic campaign.
She headlined Team Nigeria’s Olympic campaign, earning the rights owing to her prior record-breaking performances. However, her Paris 2024 Olympic campaign was one she’ll aim to forget quickly.
Tobi Amusan qualified for the semifinals in first place, justifying why she was a favorite for the gold medal.
Unfortunately, her semifinal race was a different story entirely. She finished third after completing her race in 12.55 seconds, behind Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent and France’s Cyrena Samba-Mayela, who completed the race in 12.44 seconds and 12.52 seconds, respectively, in Semifinal 1. This all but condemned Nigeria to a medal-less Olympic campaign. In both races, she failed to challenge her world record of 12.12 seconds.
MOROCCO DOMINATES AT THE OLYMPICS
The Moroccan senior football team shone brightly on the global stage at the 2022 World Cup. Their young Olympic side has since emulated their heroics, starring at the Paris 2024 Olympics and finishing with the bronze medal. The team featured a perfect blend of youth and experience.
It was a historic campaign for an Under-23 team that had never made it past the group stage in their previous Olympic campaigns.
They started brightly, winning their opening group stage match against Argentina before suffering a loss to Ukraine in the subsequent match. They defeated Iraq in their final group stage match to seal their spot in the knockout stages and top their group.
They saw off the USA with an emphatic 4-0 quarterfinal win. An unfortunate comeback by Spain in the semifinals denied them the opportunity to compete for the gold medal in the final. It was an all-African third-place match as they squared off against Egypt.
They thoroughly decimated the Egyptians, putting six goals past their helpless opposition to record a 6-0 win and their nation’s first-ever Olympic football medal.
Soufiane Rahimi finished as the top scorer with eight goals. Way to go, Lions!
DISQUALIFICATION BROUHAHA
Nigeria’s 4 x 400m relay quartet of Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Dubem Amene, and Chidi Okezie were disqualified at the end of their semifinal race.
They came second in heat 2 with a time of 2 minutes 59.81 seconds, ahead of Belgium and behind France.
However, one of the Nigerian athletes was adjudged to have switched lanes and impeded a South African racer during a baton changeover. As a result, they were disqualified, and their spot in the final was given to their South African counterparts.
ANOTHER FAILED OLYMPIC CAMPAIGN
Team Nigeria failed to win any medals at the just-concluded 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. This marks their eighth Olympic campaign without a medal.
Nigeria had an all-time high number of athletes at the Olympic Games, with 88 athletes, but this large number failed to win a single medal. A large quantity, but a questionable amount of quality.
The female football team failed to win a match and suffered an early group stage exit. Tobi Amusan failed to qualify for the women’s 100m hurdles final. Nigerian track and field trio Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro, and Pristina Ochonogor qualified for the Olympic final in the women’s long jump category, but the trio failed to secure a podium finish. Overall, it was a disappointing Olympic campaign for the Giants of Africa.
There were some positives to take from the Olympic campaign, such as the emergence of Samuel Ogazi and Favour Ofili on the global stage. With the right investments and preparation, Nigeria could have a memorable campaign at Los Angeles 2028.
THE IMANE KHELIF CONTROVERSY
Imane Khelif has been the subject of controversy and mixed opinions after she defeated Angela Carini just 46 seconds into their opening boxing match at the 2024 Olympics, with the Italian opting to abandon the match. Despite being cleared by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to participate in the female boxing category, the boxer’s gender identity has been the focus of numerous debates and arguments. The campaign against her identity has even transcended sports, taking on a political undertone.
Imane Khelif was a dominant force at the Olympics, advancing all the way to the final of the women’s 66kg welterweight event. She recorded an emphatic victory against Yang Liu in her final match to secure another gold medal for Team Algeria. Amidst the controversies, Khelif received a hero’s welcome upon her return to Algeria. Undoubtedly, the debates surrounding her aren’t going away any time soon.
KAYLA NEMOUR ETCHES HER NAME INTO HISTORY
Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour became the first African woman to win a gold medal in the uneven bars final and the first African (male or female) to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics. She qualified for the final in first place and maintained her position in the final contest to secure a huge slice of history.
The 2023 African all-around champion also competed in the all-around final, where she had an impressive outing. Despite failing to secure a podium finish and ending up in fifth place, she achieved the highest placement ever for an African gymnast in an Olympic all-around final. Having already bagged a historic gold medal at 17, the sky’s the limit for this young Algerian.
A FIRST OF SORTS
The South Sudan basketball team made their Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics. They recorded a surprising 90-79 victory over Puerto Rico in their opening group stage game.
They fell to powerhouses the United States, 103-86, and Serbia, 96-85, in their subsequent group matches. The team was created in 2011, and 13 years on, they’re now rubbing shoulders with the best in the business. They bowed out of the competition with their heads held high.
UNENDING CONTROVERSIES
It came as a big shock to most Nigerians when Favour Ofili took to social media to express her frustration at being ineligible to compete in the women’s 100m race. Apparently, the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) had failed to register her in time for the 100m event. Nigerians could not help but bemoan their frustration at the constant ineptitude of the government and its agencies.
This was not the first instance, as Ofili and several other athletes had previously suffered from administrative issues that prevented them from representing Team Nigeria at Tokyo 2020. Annette Nneka Echikunwoke is a notable example. She later registered to compete for the United States, securing a silver medal in the hammer throw event, the first Olympic medal for the U.S. in the women’s hammer throw.
TATJANA BOWS OUT IN STYLE
South African swimmer Tatjana Smith has brought her swimming career to an end, retiring at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The breaststroke swimmer headlined her country’s performances at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and this year’s campaign was no exception. She secured the gold medal in the women’s 100m breaststroke, finishing ahead of Tang Qianting and Mona McSharry.
She dominated from the heats to the semifinals and capped it off with the gold medal.
She narrowly missed out on the 100m-200m breaststroke gold double after finishing second in the 200m breaststroke event.
She is South Africa’s most decorated Olympian and deservedly received a hero’s welcome upon her return to her native country. Good luck in retirement!
KATOUSSI WINS BIG
Tunisian Firas Katoussi dominated the men’s 80kg taekwondo category. He was simply unbeatable at the Paris 2024 Olympics. He secured his first gold medal with a champion-worthy final performance, defeating Iran’s Mehran Barkhordari and becoming Tunisia’s first gold medalist in taekwondo.
Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi also helped Tunisia secure a bronze medal in the men’s 58kg taekwondo event, defeating Spain’s Adrian Vincente in their third-place match. The Tokyo 2020 silver medalist was unable to hide his delight!