Did you know …
Malawi won the bronze medal in soccer at the 1987 African Games in Nairobi, Kenya.
Madagascar, Seychelles, and Ethiopia boycotted the 1988 Olympics because the Games were not hosted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (or North Korea).
Cairo (Egypt) hosted the 1999 Men’s Handball World Championship. Final classification:
1.Sweden,
2.Russia,
3.Yugoslavia (now Serbia),
4.Spain,
5.Germany,
6.France,
7.Egypt,
8.Cuba,
9. Denmark,
10.Croatia,
11. Hungary,
12. Tunisia,
13.Norway,
14.South Korea,
15 Algeria,
16 Brazil.
17. Morocco,
18. Macedonia,
19 Kuwait,
20. China,
21 Argentina,
22 Saudi Arabia,
23. Nigeria,
24 Australia.
Ahmed Salah and Djama Robleh were the best athletes in Djibouti. Salah won the Marathon World Cup twice (1985 and 1986).
The Montreal Olympics were not boycotted by Senegal and the Ivory Coast.
Cape Verde is one of the best basketball teams in Africa. This country – the same size as Rhode Island – won the bronze medal at the FIBA African Championship in 2007. Under the leadership of Antonio Moreira, Cape Verde also won the bronze medal at the 2006 Lusophony Games in Macau ( China). .
Rwanda’s most famous athletes are: Epiphanie Nyirabarame (marathon), Dieudonne Disi (track and field), Cyriagu Ndayikengurukiye (marathon), Claudette Mukasakindi (athletics) and Angeline Nyiransabimana (track and field).
Malawi sent 3 athletes to the 1972 Summer Olympics in Germany. They competed on track and field.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (former Zaire) finished in 10th place at the 1993 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women.
Botswana won 2 gold medals at the 2008 African Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The champions were Kabelo Kgosiemang (one of the best high jumpers in the world) and Amantle Montsho (athlete / 400m).
Liberia – the second black republic in the world – is the birthplace of George Weah, one of the greatest footballers of the 20th century. George was the best soccer player in the world in 1995. Ironically, Liberia has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics.
The Kingdom of Swaziland sent 8 athletes to the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles (USA). They competed in four sports (track and field, boxing, swimming, weightlifting).
Abdi Bile (Somalia) won the gold medal in the 1500m at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 1987. Bile is one of the symbols of Africa.
Fatmata Fofanah won the gold medal in the 100m hurdles at the 2008 African Championships. Currently, she is the best female athlete in Guinea.
Mozambique – a former Portuguese colony in Africa – won a bronze medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne (Australia).
Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world, sent four athletes (boxers) to the 1972 Munich Olympics.
The most popular sports in Burkina Faso – former Republic of Upper Volta – are football, athletics, judo and boxing.
The 1980 Moscow Olympics were boycotted by the Kingdom of Morocco, Somalia, Mauritania, Niger, Gabon, Ivory Coast …
Zimbabwe – former Rhodesia – has had famous athletes in the last century: Nicolas Nyengerai (track and field / African champion, 1995), Helen Volk (field hockey / Olympic gold medalist, 1980), Paula Newby-Fraser (triathlon / former world champion), Brian Dzingai (athletics), Sarah English (field hockey / Olympic gold medalist, 1980), Zephaniah Ncube (athletics), Ndaba Dube (boxing), Tendai Chimussa (marathon), Evan Stewart (diving / was one of the best divers in the Third World), Sonia Robertson (field hockey / Olympic gold medalist, 1980).
Diedonne Kwizera was Burundi’s best athlete in the 1980s and early 1990s. Unfortunately, she was unable to compete in the Olympic Games because Burundi was not a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He studied at the University of Nebraska (United States).
Namibia sent 6 athletes to the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona (Spain). They were Lucktez Swartbooi, Frankie Fredericks (track and field), Harry Simon (boxing), Joel Lindemeier (watersports), Frank Kayele Tuihaleni (athletic), Anja Dahl (swimming). Fredericks won two silver medals (100m, 200m).
Kaltouma Nadjima is the best athlete in Chad. He was born on November 16, 1976 in Bol (Chad).
Featured performances:
2004: African Championships: 2nd 400m, 3rd 200m
2002: African Championships: 1st 400m; IAAF World Cup: 5th 400m; Grand Prix Final-5th 400m
2001: IAAF World Championships, fifth 400m; IAAF World Indoor Championships: 4th 400m; La Francophonie-1st 200m Games.
