The 2024 Paris Olympics showcased breathtaking moments and stellar performances from athletes across various continents in both team and individual events. African athletes were also a significant presence, achieving personal bests and securing medals for their respective nations.
Here are seven African athletes who made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics:
1. Letsile Tebogo – Botswana
Botswana’s 100m and 200m sprinter Letsile Tebogo made headlines by winning the gold medal in the 200m final with a 19.46 finish. He became the first African sprinter to claim a gold medal in the 200m event at the Olympics. Tebogo, who lost his mother earlier this year, ran with her birthdate on his track spikes, dedicating his victory to her memory. His win also marked Botswana’s first Olympic gold medal in history.
2. Tatjana Smith – South Africa
South African swimmer Tatjana Smith shone brightly at the Paris Olympics, clinching a gold medal in the 100m breaststroke event. Just three days later, she added a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke, continuing her legacy from the Tokyo Olympics where she had also won gold and silver in the same events.
3. Beatrice Chebet – Kenya
Kenyan long-distance runner Beatrice Chebet won gold in the women’s 5000m final, beating her compatriot and Olympic legend Faith Kipyegon in her first Olympic appearance. Chebet set a personal best of 14:28:56s and also claimed gold in the women’s 10,000m final, becoming the first Kenyan woman to complete an Olympic double.
4. Kaylia Nemour – Algeria
Kaylia Nemour of Algeria made history in artistic gymnastics by becoming the first African and Algerian gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal in the uneven bars event. She also became the first African gymnast to win a silver medal in the World Championships.
5. Cindy Ngamba – Cameroon
Cindy Ngamba made history as the first-ever EOC refugee medalist at the Olympics, winning a bronze medal after narrowly missing out on the final in the team boxing event. The refugee team, introduced at the 2016 Tokyo Olympics, had never previously secured a podium finish.
6. Faith Kipyegon – Kenya
Kenyan track star Faith Kipyegon added to her illustrious career by winning silver in the 5000m event at the Paris Olympics. Already a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1500m (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020), Kipyegon extended her record by winning gold in the 1500m in Paris, becoming the first athlete to win three consecutive gold medals in the event and setting a new Olympic record of 3:51.29s.
7. Emmanuel Wanyonyi – Kenya
Emmanuel Wanyonyi, a 20-year-old Kenyan sprinter, won gold in the men’s 800m final in his Olympic debut. Wanyonyi edged out experienced competitors Marco Arop of Canada and Djamel Sedjati of Algeria to claim his first Olympic medal.
As the Paris Olympics draw to a close, these athletes can take pride in their historic achievements, knowing that their performances will be remembered for years to come.
