With the start of the 2012 London Olympics, I thought about giving you a hint as to who to look out for, and who are those brilliant athletes representing the continent at the Olympics. Here is a list of some of the outstanding ones… There is no particular order. If I have missed a big one, please send me his/her name.
| Athletes | Country | Discipline | Achievements |
| Kenenisa Bekele | Ethiopia | 5,000m & 10,000m | Reigning world and Olympic champion (male) |
| Tirunesh Dibaba | Ethiopia | 5,000m & 10,000m | Reigning world and Olympic champion (female) |
| Cameron van der Burgh | South Africa | Swimming | Gold medalist 100 m breaststroke 2012 olympics |
| Amantle Montsho | Botswana | 400 m & 800 m track & field | African champion |
| Jonathan Akinyemi | Nigeria | Canoe-Kayak | |
| Blessing Okagbare | Nigeria | 100 m, long and triple jump | 2008 Olympics Bronze medalist long jump |
| Caster Semenya | South Africa | 800 m, 1500 m | 2011 World Champion Silver medal (800m) |
| Vivian Cheruiyot | Kenya | 5000 m | 2009 world champion |
| Silas Kiplagat | Kenya | 1500 m | 2010 Commonwealth gold champion |
| Tosin Oke | Nigeria | Triple jump | 2011 All-African Games gold medalist |
| Ruddy Zang Milama | Gabon | 100 m | 2012 African champion |
| Taoufik Makhloufi | Algeria | 800 m, 1500 m | 2012 African champion (800 m) |
| Alaaedin Abouelkassem | Egypt | Men’s Fencing | 2010 World Junior champion |
| Ndiss Kaba Badji | Senegal | Long jump | 2012 African champion |
| Pamela Jelimo | Kenya | 800 m | 2008 Olympic Gold medalist |
| Kirsty Coventry | Zimbabwe | Swimming | Olympic Gold medalist 2004, 2008 (2 gold, 4 silver, & 1 bronze olympic medals) |
| Khotso Mokoena | South Africa | Long jumper | 2008 Olympic silver medalist |
| Antonia de Fatima Faia | Angola | Judo | Bronze medalist World champion |
| Zersenay Tadese | Erithrea | 10,000 m | 2004 Olympic bronze medalist |
| Wilson Kipsang | Kenya | Marathon | 2012 London Marathon winner |
| Mary Keitany | Kenya | Marathon | 2012 London Marathon winner |
| Amaechi Morton | Nigeria | 400 m hurdles | 2012 African championship gold medalist |
| Oscar Pistorius | South Africa | 100m, 200m, 400 m | 2004, 2008 paralympic gold medalist |
| Samuel Kamau Wanjiru | Kenya | Marathon | 2008 Olympic gold medalist |
| Chad le Clos | South Africa | Swimming (200 m butterfly) | Commonwealth gold medalist |
| Benjamin Boukpeti | Togo | Canoe (K-1 Kayak single) | 2008 Olympic bronze medalist |
| Oussama Mellouli | Tunisia | 1500 m freestyle swimming | 2008 olympic Gold medalist |
African Heritage 
I wasn’t aware of most of the athletes. Thanks for letting me know about them.
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