This year’s Olympics were marked by significant achievements for African athletes, with Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo making history as the first African to win gold in the men’s 200m, breaking the longstanding dominance of American and Jamaican sprinters. In total, 12 African nations earned medals, including South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Botswana, Algeria, Tunisia, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Zambia, Morocco, and Egypt. However, the games were less successful for Nigeria and Ghana, who did not secure any medals.
Here’s a summary of African nations’ performances at the Olympics:
Kenya Tops African Medal Count
Kenya has distinguished itself as the top African performer at the 2024 Olympics, amassing a total of 11 medals: 4 gold, 2 silver, and 5 bronze. This achievement surpasses their medal count from the 2020 Tokyo Games, where they secured 10 medals.
Kenya’s strong showing placed them 17th overall among 180 competing nations.
The star of Kenya’s success was Beatrice Chebet, who made a memorable debut by winning gold in both the women’s 5000m and 10,000m events. Additionally, Faith Kipyegon made Olympic history by clinching her third consecutive gold medal in the women’s 1500m, setting a new Olympic record with a time of 3:51.29 minutes. Emmanuel Wanyonyi also contributed to Kenya’s impressive performance with a gold medal in the men’s 800m.
Algeria Secures Second Place in African Medal Count
Algeria has made a significant impact at the 2024 Olympics, securing a total of six medals—2 gold and 1 bronze—placing them second among African nations and 39th in the global standings.
The standout performance came from 17-year-old Kaylia Nemour, who made history as the first African gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal in the uneven bars with a score of 15.700 points.
In boxing, Imane Khelif won gold in the women’s featherweight division, defeating China’s Yang Liu with a decisive 5-0 score. Khelif’s victory was accompanied by some social media controversy regarding her gender, but she has firmly defended her right to compete and her gold medal.
Additionally, Djamel Sedjati earned bronze in the men’s 800m, marking a notable improvement from Algeria’s previous Olympic results.
South Africa’s Olympic Medal Count
South Africa entered the 2024 Olympics with the goal of surpassing their previous tally of three medals from Tokyo, and they achieved this by securing six medals in total.
The team of over 150 athletes saw notable success with swimmer Tatjana Smith, who won gold in the women’s 100m breaststroke and silver in the 200m breaststroke. This marked Smith’s final Olympic appearance and further cemented her status as South Africa’s most decorated Olympian.
Additional medals were won in various events: the men’s 4x100m relay team earned silver, Jo-Ane Van Dyk achieved silver in the women’s javelin, and Alan Hatherly secured bronze in men’s cross-country cycling.
South Africa also demonstrated their strength in rugby, clinching a bronze medal in men’s rugby sevens by defeating Australia 26-19. This improved performance saw South Africa rise to 44th place overall, up from 53rd in the Tokyo Games.
Ethiopia’s Medal Achievements at the Olympics
Ethiopia made a strong impact at the 2024 Olympics, finishing 47th in the overall medal standings. Tola Abera led the charge with a gold medal in the men’s marathon, clocking a time of 2:06:26 to end Kenya’s dominance in the event. Belgian Bashir Abdi and Kenyan Benson Kipruto took silver and bronze, respectively.
In the women’s marathon, Assefa Tessema secured silver for Ethiopia with a time of 2:22:58, narrowly missing out on gold to Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands by just three seconds. Additional successes for Ethiopia included silver medals from Tsige Duguma in the women’s 800m and Berihu Aregawi in the men’s 10,000m.
Nigeria Ends Olympics Without Medals
Nigeria’s Olympic campaign in Paris 2024 ended in disappointment as the country failed to secure a single medal, a sharp decline from their Tokyo 2020 performance where they won a silver and a bronze. Despite high hopes for an improved showing, Nigeria’s 88 athletes across 12 sports categories could not achieve any podium finishes, marking one of their worst Olympic performances in years. However, athletes of Nigerian origin, like Annette Echikunwoke, who competed for the U.S. in hammer throw, made a mark by winning a silver medal. Echikunwoke, unable to compete for Nigeria in Tokyo due to eligibility issues, switched allegiance to the U.S. to pursue her Olympic dreams.
Historic Highlights from the 2024 Olympics
The 2024 Olympics were marked by historic achievements, including Kaylia Nemour’s milestone as the first African gymnast to win gold and Faith Kipyegon’s unprecedented third consecutive gold in the women’s 1500m, setting a new Olympic record. These achievements represent significant milestones and underscore the exceptional talent and determination of the athletes.
Notable Achievements from the 2024 Olympics
Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo made history as the first African to win gold in the men’s 200m, breaking the longstanding dominance of American and Jamaican sprinters. Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei claimed gold in the men’s 10,000m with an Olympic record time of 26:43.14 minutes. These notable achievements highlighted the extraordinary talent and contributions of the athletes, making the 2024 Olympics a memorable event.