Here Are 10 African Athletes to Champion at the Paris Olympics

Tobi Amusan

It’s no exaggeration to say Tobi Amusan is Nigeria’s best chance at winning an Olympic gold medal for the first time in 24 years. The world record holder and three-time Diamond League winner has consistently been a huge source of immense pride and inspiration over the last few years, and she’s in the position to add more laurels to an already stacked resúmé. After successfully fighting off a doping inquiry, Amusan, who will be Nigeria’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony, will be looking to triumph on the world’s biggest sporting stage.

Ferdinand Omanyala

Historically, Kenya is known for dominating long distance track events, but at this year’s Olympics, Ferdinand Omanyala is looking to add sprinting to that list. Already widely known as Africa’s fastest man, and along with a 100m gold medal win at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Omanyala is looking to become the first Kenyan to be on the podium for the men’s 100m event. “I want to change everything about sprints in this country,” he said earlier this year. Winning an Olympic medal will no doubt open up the path for more Kenyan sprinters to dream of dominating one day.

Letsile Tebogo

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo is undeniably one of the most versatile sprinters in Paris. The rising star is carrying the medal hopes of his Southern African country, as he’s in great position to win medals in the mens’ 100m, 200m and 4x400m events. Having made history last year as the first African to win a 100m medal at the World Athletics Championships, as well as the 200m bronze, and anchoring the 4x400m gold win at the World Relays, Tebogo’s sights will firmly be on record-setting glory at the Olympics.

Faith Kipyegon

“Records are there to be broken.” That has always been Faith Kipyegon’s mentality, one that she will continue to lean on as she looks to become the first Kenyan athlete to win the Olympic gold medal for the same track event three times in a row. Earlier this month, Kipyegon broke her 1500m world record at the Paris Diamond League, a perfect setup as she looks to defend her Olympic gold medal for the second time. “I want to make history, definitely!” Kipyegon said in an interview last year. “That is history. If I [can win the gold again], that is a legacy for the next generation.” It helps that, heading into the Olympics, she looks as unstoppable as ever.

Kgothatso Montjane

There was no structured plan for Kgothatso Montjane to become the decorated wheelchair tennis player that she is today. “I was just playing because they said I must play. I don’t wanna lie to you, I didn’t know what I was doing,” she recently told OkayAfrica, explaining that she didn’t understand the difference between Grand Slams, Super Series and the other tiers of tennis events. Montjane’s talent and love for the sport simply carried her to the point where she’s won multiple slams. At this year’s Paralympics, she’ll be competing for the fourth time and she “just [hopes] I can be on the podium.”

Bilal Mallakh

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For the first time at the Olympics, breakdancing will be a competitive event. Morocco’s Bilal “Billy” Mallakh will be the first African competing in the sport at the Olympic level, and his mantra is doing his best. “I don't care about the results. If I do my best, I will be proud of myself,” he told OkayAfrica recently. B Boy Billy’s love for breaking goes beyond the desire to win medals, but with an understanding that the sport requires a combination of athleticism and artistry. With the innate desire to give 100 percent, it’s easy to root for his success in Paris.

Boipelo Awuah

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Just before making her Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2021, South African skateboarder Boipelo Awuah suffered a major injury that ruled her out of the games. Returning back home, she was heartbroken. Three years later, Awuah is ready to deliver “my best performance ever – I feel good on my skateboard, I've never trained this much, and I've never skated this much for a competition.” Having rediscovered her passion for skateboarding, Awuah is set turn her setback into a successful Olympic outing.

Yaseen Abdallah

“People say the first Olympics you learn, the second you compete. But I’m definitely training hard and hoping to compete this time,” Yaseen Abdallah, who will be representing Sudan in the marathon, told OkayAfrica recently. Abdallah has never professionally run a marathon but he’s hoping his strength and years of training will help carry him to competitive heights in Paris. It will be a difficult task no doubt, but the athlete believes he’s “always been stronger, and the marathon is the most strength-based event. I’m excited. It’ll be fun.”

South Sudan Men’s Basketball Team

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For the past three years, the Bright Stars of South Sudan have been making basketball history. After making it to last year’s FIBA World Cup in emphatic fashion, losing just one of twelve qualifying matches, the team automatically qualified for this year’s Olympics by emerging as the best African team in the World Cup. “It’s bigger than just us and bigger than basketball — we have a country we’re fighting for… to put our country on the map, it’s huge,” point guard Carlik Jones told Olympics.com last year. The statement echoes the continuous, unanimous passion of the South Sudan team to help create a new narrative for the young, war torn country.

Rana Saadeldin

At just 15 years old, Rana Saadeldin is one of the youngest African athletes at this year’s Olympics. The young swimmer is headed to Paris on invitation, and she believes it’s a vital experience that will aid her in future competitions, possibly the next Olympics in four years time. “I want to be the first ever [Sudanese] girl to get an Olympic medal in swimming. If that does not happen this time, hopefully it will happen in 2028,” she told OkayAfrica in a recent interview. While she’s modest about her ambitions heading to Paris, her passion for swimming is intangible and, at her age, it makes her an exciting athlete to watch this summer and beyond.

Refugee Olympic Team

In addition to these athletes, OkayAfrica will also be cheering on the Africans in the Refugee Olympic Team this year. The team is made up of athletes who had to flee their countries of origin due to conflict. This year’s team comprises 37 athletes, 11 of which are African. The team includes Talochwini Gabriyesos, who fled Eritrea as a child and placed 16th in the Mens’ Marathon event at the last Olympics; Farida Abaroge, a France asylum seeker having fled Ethiopia; Cindy Ngamba, the Cameroon native who became the first-ever refugee boxer to qualify for the Olympics, and more. No athlete from the Refugee team has won an Olympic medal so far, perhaps that will change this time around.