Kenya remains king of African U20 athletics despite ‘losing’ to Ethiopia again!

As at today, Ethiopia is undoubtedly the best African nation and second best worldwide in U20 athletics, but Kenya remains the continent’s all-time best in the history of the championships and this the east African nation has made to count at the senior level.

At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Kenya emerged the best African nation with 11 medals made up of four gold, five silver and two bronze and second only to USA who topped the table with 34 medals (14 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze)

Nine years ago, precisely at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China, Kenya topped the medal table 16 medals made up of seven gold, six silver and three bronze, above Jamaica who came second.

The Kenyans even moved out of the middle and long distances, where they have comparative advantage to events you can not even imagine. Yes, Kenya, through Juilus Yego, won the javelin event gold! Incredible, did you say?

Well, wait for it.. Kenya also won the men’s 400m hurdles gold.

The foundation for the successes the Kenyans have recorded was laid at the U20 level where they have won a total of 89 gold, 70 silver and 52 bronze medals.

They are followed by Ethiopia who have won 46 gold, 44 silver and 33 bronze medals.

South Africa, whose sprinter Bayanda Walaza successfully completed a sprint double in Lima, Peru to become only the second African man to achieve the feat, is the third most successful African country in the history of the Championships. They have won 21 gold, 17 silver and 17 bronze medals.

Nigeria is fourth in the ranking after two back-to-back fruitless trips to the Championships and both happening under the current board out of the four times (2004, 2016, 2022 and 2024) we have gone to the Championships without returning with a medal.

The ‘giant’ of Africa has won 14 gold, 13 silver and 10 bronze medals.