24th African Senior Athletics Championships: Amusan Anchors Accra as Africa’s Stars Chase Diamond League
The 24th African Senior Athletics Championships will get underway Tuesday in Accra, Ghana, but the absence of many of the continent’s biggest names has once again highlighted the growing tension between continental duty and global opportunity.
Over the years, Africa’s finest athletes, including Olympic and World medalists, have often chosen to bypass the championships, and this edition is no different.
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan stands out as the exception.
A former World and Diamond League champion and the reigning world record holder in the 100m hurdles, she has consistently answered the African call and will be the headline act in Accra.
Her presence underscores her loyalty to the continental stage, even as many of her peers head elsewhere.
The lure of the Wanda Diamond League, which begins this weekend in Shanghai/Keqiao, has drawn away several of Africa’s brightest stars.
Kenya’s Mercy Adongo Oketch, a 400m runner with a season’s best of 50.14, will be in China rather than Ghana.
In the distance events, double Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon is confirmed for Shanghai in the 5000m, alongside Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa. The women’s steeplechase will also miss its top names, with Uganda’s Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai, Kenya’s world junior champion Faith Cherotich, and Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzayani all opting for the Diamond League.
The men’s middle‑distance races will be without Botswana’s Kethobogile Haingura and Kenya’s Wyclife Kinyamal, both confirmed for Shanghai in the 800m.
The sprints are similarly depleted, with South Africa’s Gift Leotlela and Akani Simbine, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, and Botswana’s Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo all choosing the Diamond League over Accra.
Ethiopia’s teenage sensation Birke Haylom, who has already run 3:53.22 in the 1500m, is another notable absentee.
While Amusan’s presence ensures the African Championships retain a measure of star power, the reality is that the continent’s biggest names continue to prioritize the global stage.
The Shanghai/Keqiao Diamond League offers prestige, fierce competition, and lucrative rewards, leaving Accra to showcase Africa’s next generation rather than its established champions.
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