South Africa retains African Athletics Championships title with 22 medals; Nigeria and Kenya shine in Accra

South Africa defended its continental crown with authority at the 24th African Athletics Championships, held at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon, Accra, from May 12-17, 2026, securing 22 medals to finish atop the standings.

The six-day meet served as a crucial testing ground for African athletes eyeing the World Athletics Championships in Budapest this September, with several standout performances signaling the continent's readiness for the global stage. Nigeria, Kenya, Botswana, and Ethiopia all delivered medal hauls that reflected the depth of African track and field talent.

South Africa's dominance and breakthrough moments

South Africa's campaign was anchored by 21-year-old shot putter Aiden Smith, who claimed the first gold medal of the championships on Day 1 with a throw of 20.01 meters. The University of Johannesburg student, fresh off a 20.55m performance at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix two weeks earlier, outclassed Egypt's Mostafa Amr Ahmed (18.89m), a Tokyo 2020 Olympic finalist, and Cameroon's Billy Jospen Takougoum (17.01m).

"I was hoping for a massive throw, but the conditions didn't allow it," Smith told Olympics.com after his victory. The gold marked Smith's first African Championships title and continued a strong run of form for the reigning World University Games champion.

South Africa also struck gold in the women's shot put through Collette Uys, who produced a winning throw of 17.63m. The 2025 World University Games bronze medallist added her continental title to Smith's, cementing South Africa's dominance in the throws.

Perhaps the most emotional victory came from Luvo Manyonga, the 35-year-old long jumper whose comeback story has captivated African athletics. Manyonga won gold with a leap of 8.08m, his first African Championship title despite a decorated career that includes world and Olympic medals. "I'm very happy to arrive here competing and winning. I miss this feeling and my comeback just shows that second chances are possible," he told Olympics.com post-race. Senegal's Lys Mendy (8.07m) and Amath Faye (8.00m) completed the podium.

Nigeria's sprint and relay supremacy

Nigeria emerged as the standout performer on Day 2, winning six medals including four golds. World record holder Tobi Amusan led the charge, securing the African 100m hurdles title for a third consecutive time with a commanding 12.83-second performance. Zimbabwe's Ashley Miller (13.24) took silver, improving on her bronze from the 2023 African Games at the same stadium, while Nigeria's Adaobi Tabugbo (13.26) claimed bronze.

Nigeria's other medals came across the sprints and relays. Rosemary Chukwuma claimed silver behind Cameroon's Hervé Kole Etame in the women's 100m, while Chidera Ezeakor secured bronze in the men's final, won by Cameroon's Emmanuel Eseme. South Africa's Bradley Nkoana took silver in the men's race.

In the relay events, Nigeria continued its dominance. The women's 4x100m team — featuring Rosemary Nwankwo, Obi Jennifer Chukwuka, Rosemary Chukwuma, and Miracle Ezechukwu — won gold in 42.94 seconds, claiming a fourth consecutive continental title. Liberia finished second in 43.03, with host nation Ghana taking bronze in 44.85.

The Nigerian quartet of Ezekiel Asuquo, Toheebat Jimoh, Victor Sampson, and Patience Okon-George dominated the mixed 4x400m relay, stopping the clock at 3:16.41 to hold off Botswana (3:17.88) and Kenya (3:17.94).

Nigeria also found success in the field events, with Sade Olatoye winning silver in the women's hammer throw with a best mark of 69.60m. Algeria's Zahra Tatar defended her title with 69.82m, while South Africa's Leandri Holtzhausen earned bronze.

Kenya's distance running excellence

Kenya claimed its first medals on Day 2, winning gold and bronze in the men's 10,000m. Kevin Chesang won the race in 28:30.44, narrowly holding off Ethiopia's Eyob Gared (28:30.57), with Kenya's Silas Senchura completing the podium in 28:34.97.

Diana Wanza delivered Kenya's third gold on Day 3, winning the women's 10,000m in 31:33.26. Florence Niyonkuru took silver in 31:43.73, earning Rwanda's second medal of the competition, while Ethiopia's Asefu Abrha Kiros completed the podium in 31:45.91.

Kenya's javelin legend Julius Yego solidified his status as Africa's most accomplished javelin thrower on the final day, winning his sixth consecutive continental title. The 2015 world champion and 2016 Olympic silver medallist continues to defy age, proving he remains the dominant force in African javelin despite being in his mid-30s.

Historic moments and breakthrough performances

Rwanda celebrated its first-ever African Championships gold medal across all disciplines when 30-year-old Emeline Imanizabayo unleashed a spectacular final sprint to win the women's 5000m on Day 1. Imanizabayo crossed the finish line ahead of Samia Hassan of Djibouti and Zein Ayelgn of Ethiopia. "I'm so happy, so overwhelmed by emotions. Before the competition, I told myself I was going to win this and I thank my coaches who helped me to achieve my dream," Imanizabayo told Olympics.com.

Cameroon's Nora Atim Monie claimed a historic gold in the women's discus throw, securing Cameroon's first-ever women's discus title at the African Championships with a fourth-round effort of 57.00m. Nigeria's Divine Oladipo, competing in her first international outing for Nigeria, took silver with 55.37m, ahead of compatriot Obiageri Amaechi (53.23m).

In the men's 4x100m relay, Côte d'Ivoire captured their first-ever African Championships title in the event, winning in 38.52 seconds. Nigeria took silver in 38.70, while pre-race favorites Ghana settled for bronze in 38.74. "It feels good to finally win a title with this group," Ivorian record holder Arthur Cisse told Olympics.com.

Benin celebrated their first medal of the championships when 35-year-old veteran Odile Ahouanwanou delivered gold in the heptathlon with a combined score of 5,309 points. It was the third successive gold in the event for Ahouanwanou, who also won at the 2023 African Games held at the same stadium.

What this means for Budapest and beyond

The Accra championships served as a critical benchmark ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest (September 7-13, 2026) and the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. African athletes demonstrated world-class form across sprints, middle distances, long distances, and field events, with several performances ranking among the year's best globally.

For diaspora communities, the championships reinforced Africa's position as a dominant force in global athletics. Many of the athletes competing in Accra train abroad or have connections to diaspora communities — Amusan is based in the United States, while several South African and Kenyan athletes train in Europe during parts of the year.

The success of athletes from smaller nations like Rwanda, Benin, and Côte d'Ivoire signals the broadening base of African athletics beyond the traditional powerhouses of Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa. That depth will be critical as the continent seeks to maximize its medal count at future global championships.

With 41 nations participating and hundreds of athletes competing across 26 events, the 2026 African Championships in Accra delivered drama, records, and breakthrough moments that will resonate across the diaspora and back home for months to come.

Reporting drawn from Olympics.com, Olympics.com, Olympics.com, Athletics Africa, Daily Trust Nigeria.