9 milestones achieved by Africans during Paris Olympic Games

By Peter Ochieng

Curtains of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games came down on Sunday, after over two weeks of fantastic, dominant, record breaking and sometimes underwhelmingly performances from Olympians, drawn from across the globe.

The rush for medals in various sporting disciplines called for perseverance, tactical sharpness, mental strength and occasionally team work for one to walk home as a gold, silver or bronze winner.

Africans gave a good account of themselves during the just concluded 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Kenya topped Africa’s Olympic Games medal count with 11 medals; 4 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze, while minnows Botswana, Cape Verde and Zambia did not leave Paris empty handed.

Here is a list of some milestones reached by Africans during the games.

1. Soufiane Rahimi

Morocco's 28-year-old striker etched his name into Olympic football history, clinching the top scorer award courtesy of a remarkable tally of 8 goals, making him the first African to win the award. His exceptional performance throughout the tournament was capped with a brace in Morocco's 6-0 victory over Egypt in the bronze medal match.

According to CAF online, the forward's impact on the team was evident not just in his goal tally but also in his overall play, with his teammates heaping praise on him.

"Rahimi is great, he's something else. I've played alongside him in other competitions,” said his teammate, Ilias Akhomach. "I knew what he was capable of and we had a very good understanding between us at these Games. He has had an excellent tournament."

2. Tamirat Tola

The 2024 Olympic Games men marathon champion was not supposed to be in Paris in the first place. Initially selected as a reserve, Tola was given a nod to join the team after Sisay Lemma suffered an injury.

No one expected him to come out tops in a time of 2:06:26 on the brutal Paris 2024 course, to become the first Ethiopian to win gold at the men's marathon Olympic Games in 24 years.

His time broke the previous Olympic marathon record of 2:06:32 set by Kenyan, the late Samuel Wanjiru during the Beijing, China Olympics in 2008.

“I was the reserve in the Ethiopian team, but when Sisay Lemma had injuries, then I had a chance to represent him. I was fully prepared and knew I could fulfill my dream. I am happy to do that today,” the Olympics champion told World Athletics.

Belgium’s Bashir Abdi finished second in a time of 2:06:47, while Benson Kipruto clocked 2:07:00 to win Bronze for Team Kenya, dashing ousted defending champion, Eliud Kipchoge’s hopes of becoming the only man to win three Olympic marathon titles on the trot, after triumphs in 2016 and 2020.

The 39-year-old legendary Kipchoge did not finish the race, perhaps after the going became tough for him on the ‘unforgiving’ Paris marathon course.

3. Letsile Tebogo

The 21-year-old Botswana sprinter became the first native African to win gold in the 200m race at the Olympic Games.

He raced to gold in a dazzling performance, crossing the finish line in a time of 19.46 seconds as Team USA's Kenny Bednarek took silver in 19.62 seconds while his compatriot, Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles earned bronze in 19.70.

Tebogo’s win earned his country the first ever Olympic gold. And what better way to celebrate the humble prodigy? Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi declared a public holiday for a half a day on Friday, August 09, 2024 in honour of Tebogo's exploits.

"The president underscores, recognizes and acknowledges Letsile' s performance and achievement as markedly outstanding, and deserving of the nation to pause and celebrate him in a most unique, appropriate and responsible manner, that will be etched in the annals of the history of the Republic."

He led his team to a silver medal triumph in the 4X400m behind gold winners, USA.

4. Joshua Cheptegei

The most decorated Uganda runner withstood surging Ethiopian team tactics to claim gold in the men’s Olympic 10000 m at the Stade de France, On August 02, 2204.

The three-time world champion timed an Olympic record of 26:43.14, breaking Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele’s 26:43:32 record achieved during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, in 2008. Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi finished second behind Cheptegei to take silver in 26:43.44, as American Grant Fisher finished third.

5. Imane Khelif

The Algerian boxer won gold in the women welterweight boxing category, after defeating China's Yang Liu by unanimous decision. However, her win was shrouded with controversy over claims that she appeared more like a man than a woman.

She called out her haters, calling them enemies of success. "These are the enemies of success. And that also gives my success a special taste because of these attacks. I think that the whole world now knows the story of Imane Khelif,” she insisted.

6. Faith Kipyegon

The 30-year-old became the only athlete to win 3 consecutive Olympic Games gold medals in the 1500m race, after excelling in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 8 years ago and Tokyo, Japan in 2020. In Paris, the World Record holder, known as the ‘Queen of 1500’ in her country – Kenya, timed 3:51:29 to set an Olympic record.

She also won silver in the 5000m race, making her one of the headlines for the Paris 2024 story.

7. Beatrice Chebet

The World Record holder in 10000m became the first woman to do a double in the 5000m and 10000m runs since Ethiopian great Tirunesh Dibaba achieved the feat in 2008, in Beijing, China.

Kenya won 4 gold medals in Paris, with Chebet single handedly contributing two.

“To do the 5,000m and 10,000m is not something easy," she said after winning the two golds.

Her focus going into the future is to remain at the top.

8. Emmanuel Wanyonyi

Another Kenyan on the list. The 20-year-old needed another blazing performance to win the 800m Olympic gold, becoming the youngest ever winner of the event in Olympic history, having held off Canada’s Marco Arop who finished second.

His winning time of 1:41.19 made him the third-fastest performer in history, behind only world record-holder David Rudisha and Wilson Kipketer.

With Wanyonyi’s win, Kenya has now won the 800m Olympic gold for 16 years, starting with Wilfred Bungei, in Beijing 2008, David Rudisha, London 2012 and Rio 2016 and Emmanuel Korir, Tokyo 2020.

9. Tatjana Smith

The 27-year-old South African swimmer won gold in the women’s 100m breaststroke, before capping it off with a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke. She is one Africa’s heroes of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.