23rd African Athletics Championships: Nigeria Looking To Top Medal Table For The First Time In 12 Years

Curtains will be drawn Wednesday on the 23rd edition of the African Senior Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon with Nigeria seeking to top the medal table for the first time in 12 years.

The last time Nigeria topped the medal table was in Port Novo, Republic of Benin in 2012 when the country’s contingent emerged champions of Africa with 10 gold, six silver and four bronze medals.

Seven of the gold medals were won by the women athletes.

Since then, Nigeria has finished second just once and third in the last three editions.

In Douala, Nigeria are currently second behind South Africa with four gold, four silver and four bronze medals with the gold coming in the men’s Shot Put and the women’s Discus Throw, Long Jump and the 4x100m relays events.

The South Africans have garnered six gold medals with four coming in the field events viz the women’s Pole Vault, Javelin Throw and Shot Put as well as in the women’s 400m and the Mixed Relays.

Ethiopia have also garnered four gold medals which means it will likely be a three-way battle for the title.

On paper, Nigeria looks to have the edge as they are favourites in the men’s Javelin and the men and women’s 4x400m relay events while hoping South Africa stumble in the men and women’s 200m, 400m hurdles and triple jump events.

Ethiopia can also feel they can add the women’s 1500m, 5000m and 3000m steeple chase as well as the men’s 1500m gold to their collections while Kenya can also lay claim to the four gold medals here and move to the top of the log if other results go their way.