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