45 medalsfor Africa this year. A record. Wayde Van Niekerk, the South African, being the first African to win a gold medal in sprint, and also broke the world record established by Michael Johnson in 1999 on 400 m. Ethiopian Almaz Ayana also broke the 1993 record in 10000m. Here are the remaining medals from the tally I published before the end of the games.
Cheikh Salla Cisse gave Côte d’Ivoire its very first Gold medal (in less than 80 kg Taekwondo men)
Cheikh Salla Cisse
Caster Semenya – 800 m women (South Africa) – Gold
Ruth Gbagbi– Taekwondo less than 67 kg women (Côte d’Ivoire) – Bronze
Francine Niyonsaba – 800 m women (Burundi) – Silver
Margaret Nyairera Wambui– 800 m women (Kenya) – Bronze
Nigeria men Soccer team – Bronze
Caster Semenya
Eliud Kipchoge– Men Marathon (Kenya) – Gold
Julius Yego – Men Javelin (Kenya) – Silver
Almaz Ayana – 5000 m women (Ethiopia) – Bronze
Hagos Gebrhiwet – 5000 m men (Ethiopia)- Bronze
FeyisaLilesa– Men Marathon (Ethiopia) – Silver
Taoufik Makhloufi – 1500 m Men (Algeria) – Silver
Abdoulrazak Issoufou Alfaga – over 80kg Taekwondo men (Niger) – Silver
Oussama Oueslati – less than 80 kg Taekwondo men (Tunisia) – Bronze
Oussama Mellouli of Tunisia won Gold in the 10 km marathon open water, to become the first swimmer to ever win olympic medals in both the pool and open water. He had also won bronze in the 1500m freestyle in London, and was the Beijing Gold winner for 1500m freestyle.
Tirunesh Dibaba, the baby-face destroyer, took Gold in 10,000 m run to retain her title, and bronze in the 5000m. I will take this opportunity to salute her for running in the 5000m even after suffering a harmstring the day before the 5000m run. Kenyans Sally Kipyego and Vivian Cheruiyot won silver and bronze respectively in the 10,000m. Meseret Defar took the gold in the 5000m, reclaiming back the gold medal she had won in 2004 during the Athens Olympics, but had lost in 2008 to Tirunesh Dibaba. Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot took the silver home in the 5000m, followed by Tirunesh Dibaba.
David Rudisha of Kenya, became the first man to break a record at the London Olympics, in the 800m. He ran the 800 m with such majesty and speed, he almost looked like an impala, very graceful. Nijel Amos won a silver medal to offer Botswana its very first Olympic medal; while Timothy Kitum of Kenya took home the bronze medal.
Caster Semenya of South Africa won a silver medal in the women’s 800m run. Watching her run, one could already see the potential, and had she not started far in the back, I believe she would have won the gold medal.
Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria stunned us by getting disqualified from the olympics because of ‘not trying hard enough’ (whatever that means) in the men’s 800m, getting reinstated, and then going on to win the gold medal by a huge margin, in the 1500m. He definitely made us proud… telling us that one can always beat all the odds. MoroccanAbdalaati Iguider took home the bronze medal.
South Africa is the African country who won the most medals at the London Olympics, with three gold, two silver, and one bronze medals. Swimmers Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh both won gold in 200m butterfly and 100m breaststroke respectively. Chad also took home the silver medal for the 100m butterfly. Sizwe Ndlovu, John Smith, Matthew Brittain, and James Thompson of South Africa won gold in the men’s lightweight four.
UgandanStephen Kiprotich claimed the gold medal in the men’s marathon, making it Uganda’s first gold medal since 1972. He was followed by two Kenyans who won silver and bronze: Abel Kirui and Wilson Kipsang.
Anthony Obame won Gabon’s first ever medal, by claiming the silver medal in taekwondo.
Alaeeldin Abouelkassem of Egypt won silver in fencing, becoming Africa’s first medal in fencing.
Overall, although I was quite disappointed by the performance of the Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes, particularly that of Kenenisa Bekele, I salute those who raised our flags high and made us proud of being Africans. I am sure children in Botswana would now take to running like Nijel Amos, and I am sure children in Gabon will join taekwondo’s clubs like Obame, while Tunisians will learn to swim as well as Oussama Mellouli who made them all extremely proud.
Taoufik Makhloufi after winning the 1500 m (source: telegraph.co.uk)
I just wanted to give you an update on all our African medalists at the 2012 London Olympics.
Taoufik Makhloufi, of Algeria, won Gold in the 1500m Men yesterday, after a display of courage and determination. He was disqualified on Monday for not putting enough effort in the Men’s 800m qualifiers, and then later on reinstated, and went on to winning Gold in the 1500m. Such drama! Abdalaati Iguider of Morocco won the bronze in the 1500m Men, after Taoufik.
Tirunesh Dibaba, the baby face destroyer, destroyed her competitors on the 10,000m women’s race. It was lovely to watch her sprint to the finish. We long for a repeat on the 5,000m women’s race which will take place this Friday. The Kenyans Sally Kipyego and Vivian Cheruiyot won silver and bronze respectively.
On the men’s 10,000m, Kenenisa Bekele disappointed us. Frankly all Africans top runners disappointed us. It was mostly a show of African top runners elbowing each other to stop the other from winning (Kenyans, Ethiopians, and Erythreans) and cornering Kenenisa… and that’s how the British-Somalian Mo Farah won. Basically, our brothers just went for the ‘crab’ politics. Disappointing! Tariku Bekele, Kenenisa’s brother, saved the day by winning the bronze medal.
Tirunesh Dibaba, after winning the 10,000 m race in London 2012
The Men’s 3000m Steeplechase was won by Ezekiel Kemboi of Kenya who took gold, while another compatriot, Abel Kiprop Mutai took the bronze. In the women’s 3000 m Steeplechase, Sofia Assefa of Ethiopia won the bronze medal.
The Women’s marathon was won by Tiki Gelana of Ethiopia who set a new olympic record, and was followed by Priscah Jeptoo of Kenya with silver.
In swimming, Tunisian Oussama Mellouli took Bronze in the Men’s 1500m freestyle. South African Chad le Clos took Silver in the Men’s 100m butterfly, and gold in the Men’s 200m butterfly. Cameron van der Burgh, another South African, won the gold medal in the Men’s 100m breaststroke.
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.
45 medals for Africa this year. A record. Wayde Van Niekerk, the South African, being the first African to win a gold medal in sprint, and also broke the world record established by Michael Johnson in 1999 on 400 m. Ethiopian Almaz Ayana also broke the 1993 record in 10000m. Here are the remaining medals from the tally I published before the end of the games.
