Gina Mariam Bass Bittaye wins the 100m at the African Championships in Douala (© AFP / Getty Images)
A podium sweep by Nigeria in the women’s discus, Ese Brume clinching a historic fourth title in the women’s long jump, Kenyan rising star Sarah Moraa stealing the spotlight in the women’s 800m and Letsile Tebogo putting Botswana in contention for Olympic qualification formed some of the highlights of the first three days of action at the African Championships in Douala, Cameroon (21-23 June).
Nigeria’s two-time world medallist Brume became the first athlete to win four long jump titles in African Championships history. Winning the crown three consecutive times – in 2014, 2016 and 2018 – had already propelled her into an exclusive class, and going one further at the Japoma Stadium consolidated her position as Africa’s best in the event.
Brume had missed the last edition of the championships held in Mauritius, which was won by Burkina Faso’s Marthe Koala. In Douala, the latter put up a formidable fight and was not going to relinquish her crown easily, taking the lead with 6.72m. The Nigerian left it late, prevailing in the last round by just one centimetre (6.73m) to win gold. South Africa’s Danielle Nolte took the bronze with 6.44m.
A new Moraa on the horizon
Moraa, who made a statement at the recently held Kenyan Olympic Trials, ran with intent at the African Championships. The youngster – who is the cousin of world champion Mary Moraa – started out strongly and went into the lead in the first lap and held on to her position at the bell. Her teammate and winner of the event at the Kenyan Trials, Lilian Odira (who upstaged Mary Moraa at the trials) was following closely. However, the younger Moraa would not be denied, storming to her first continental crown in 2:00.27, while Odira clocked 2:00.36 for second. Moroccan Soukaina Hajji completed the podium in 2:00.91.
In the men’s event, Kenyan champion Alex Kipngetich Ngeno waited for the bell before making his move, advancing from the middle of the pack to the front. Botswana’s duo of Kethobogile Haingura and Tumo Nkape tried to overtake but the Kenyan held his ground to cross the line first in 1:45.02. Haingura and Ugandan Tom Dradriga were second and third respectively in 1:45.54 and 1:46.01.
However, the Kenyans experienced a reversal of fortunes in the longer distances as their longtime rivals Ethiopia reigned supreme. In the women’s 5000m, Fentaye Belayneh upgraded her silver from 2022 to gold, outrunning the pack to take the win with 15:30.10, while her teammate Wubrist Aschal crossed the line after her, running 15:30.25. Djibouti’s Samia Hassan Nour ensured she was not left outside the medals, beating Kenya’s Rebecca Mwangi to bronze in 15:42.63.
It was another Ethiopian 1-2 in the men's 10,000m. Nibret Melak raced to his second continental gold medal of the season in 28:52.27 and reminiscent of the African Games, Gemechu Dida once again took the silver medal (28:52.79). Kenya’s Roncer Kipkorir Konga also made the podium with a mark of 28:52.94.
Nibret Melak celebrates his 10,000m win at the African Championships in Douala (© AFP / Getty Images)
Successful title defence for Coetzee and Bass Bittaye
Miranda Coetzee was a class apart in the women’s 400m. The South African was dominant through the rounds and blazed to a season’s best of 50.91 in the semifinals (just 0.01 off her lifetime best) to qualify for the Paris Olympics. She successfully defended her title after returning a time of 51.16, finishing ahead of Zambia’s Quincy Malekani (51.56) and Nigeria’s Elo Esther Joseph (51.94).
Cheikh Tidiane Diouf became the third Senegalese athlete to win the men’s 400m at the African Championships, proving too strong for the rest of the field to coast to victory in 45.23 and secure an upgrade from the bronze medal he won at the African Games this year. He was followed by Lee Eppie of Botswana and Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi in 45.39 and 45.47 respectively.
Gambian sprinter Gina Mariam Bass Bittaye continues to cement her status as the woman to beat on the continent. The 2019 World Championships finalist, who broke 11 seconds last month, continued her impressive run this season to win the women’s 100m ahead of Liberia’s Maia McCoy once again, reminiscent of the African Games earlier in the year.
Bass Bittaye won in 11.14 from McCoy in 11.16 to claim a second successive African Championships gold in the event. Maboundou Kone of Cote d’Ivoire was third in 11.24.
Liberia also sharing the spoils
Joseph Fahnbulleh added to the history books of his country by becoming the first sprinter to win the 100m at the African Championships. The multiple NCAA champion came from behind to deny African Games gold medallist Emmanuel Eseme sweet victory on his home turf, finishing 0.02 ahead of the Cameroonian in 10.13, while Benjamin Richardson (10.17) pipped Kayinsola Ajayi to the bronze medal.
Ebony Morrison was another athlete who shone for Liberia as she claimed her first continental gold, having settled for silver at Saint Pierre in 2022. Morrison sped to a lifetime best of 12.70 in the 100m hurdles, with South African record-holder Marione Fourie (12.74) and Sidonie Fiadanantsoa of Madagascar (12.98) following.
Botswana stamped their authority in the men’s 400m hurdles courtesy of Victor Ntweng (48.88) and Kemorena Tisang (49.24) who set the pace for the rest of the field. Former champion Abdelmalik Lahoulou fought hard to cross the line in third place in 49.36.
It was total dominance from Nigeria in the women’s discus throw, recreating the podium placement from the 2016 edition of the championships where Nwanneka Okwelogu, Chinwe Okoro and Chioma Onyekwere held sway. This time around, it was Ashley Anumba who led the charge, taking the lead after her third throw of 59.01m. She cemented her place with her best effort of 59.30m while African Games gold medallist Obiageri Amaechi settled for second with 58.80m. Commonwealth Games champion Onyekwere took the bronze with 57.93m.
The old guard still waxing strong
Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi extended his dominance on the continent to a third successive African Championships and did just enough to snatch the shot put gold medal with his best effort of 21.14m. Egyptians Mostafa Amr Hassan (20.25m) and Mohamed Khalifa (19.72m) were the other medallists in the event.
African record-holder in the decathlon, Algeria’s Larbi Bourrada, claimed an unprecedented sixth title in Douala. The 36-year-old tried to finish top two in most of his events, finishing with 7447 points and inspiring his compatriot Dhiae Boudoumi to silver (7215). Kenyan Edwin Too emerged as bronze medallist in the event.
In the women’s hammer, Algeria’s Zahra Tatar upstaged defending champion Sade Olatoye with her superior effort of 67.82m which was 10cm farther than the Nigerian’s. Xena Ngomateke was third in 65.84m.
The mixed 4x400m was contested on day two of the championships and Nigeria and Botswana were engaged in a battle for superiority, with South Africa trailing in third until the final leg when Coetzee was handed the baton. The South African champion switched gears and in no time, overturned every deficit to gift South Africa their first African Championships gold in the discipline in a time of 3:13.12. Nigeria claimed silver (3:13.72) and Botswana bronze (3:15.93).
A similar scenario played out in the 4x100m heats on day three of competition, when Botswana blazed to the fastest time across the three heats in the men’s event. Multiple world medallist Tebogo anchored the team to a national record of 38.19 to put them into a qualifying spot for the Olympics. Ghana (39.16) and Cote d'Ivoire won the remaining two heats.
Liberia posted 42.93 to win heat one of the women’s 4x100m, while Nigeria dominated heat two with 43.58.
Yemi Olus-Galadima for World Athletics
