African Games

The African Games is a continental multi-sport event held every four years organized by the African Union with the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the Association of African Sports Confederations (AASC). The Games formerly held under the names of All-Africa Games, and sometimes referred as “Pan African Games”.

The first Games were held in 1965 in Brazzaville, Congo. The International Olympic Committee granted official recognition as a continental multi-sport event. Since 1999, the African Games have also included para-athletes for the competition programme.

All 53 members affiliated to the ANOCA are eligible to take part in the Games, however, sometimes several countries didn’t take part for several political reasons. South Africa was banned from the beginning of the games till the 1991 edition because of apartheid racism. When apartheid officially ended in the country, South African delegation have been invited for the first time. Morocco was banned also from the games from 1987 to 2015 due to political disputes over Western Sahara’s recognition in the continent.

Egypt is leading country with the topping of the all-time African Games medal table covering of all sports, but they are only sitting seventh-place in the athletics ladder. Nigeria has the lead in athletics standings with total of 298 medals. They are the only nation to achieve 100 gold barrier in athletics. Interestingly; Morocco, one of the greatest athletics nations of the continent, did not have a single gold medal yet because of long lay-off from the participation.

MOST SUCCESSFUL ATHLETES AT AFRICAN GAMES
11-0-1 Mary Onyali-Omagbemi (NGR)
7-1-0 Fatima Yusuf (NGR)
5-1-0 Oludamola Osayomi (NGR)
5-0-0 Modupe Oshikoya (NGR)
4-3-0 Falilat Ogunkoya (NGR)
4-2-0 Blessing Okagbare (NGR)
4-1-0 Adewale Olukoju (NGR)
4-1-0 Alice Annum (GHA)

OLDEST ACTIVE GAMES RECORDS
Men's 400m: Innocent Egbunike (NGR), 44.23 in Nairobi 1987
Men's 400H: Amadou Dia Ba (SEN), 48.03 in Nairobi 1987
Men's LJ: Paul Emordi (NGR), 8.23m in Nairobi 1987
Men's TJ: Francis Dodoo (GHA), 17.12m in Nairobi 1987
Women's 4x400m: Nigeria, 3:27.08 in Nairobi 1987

THREE-PEATS (Three successive gold in one event)
3 Maria Mutola (MOZ) in Women's 800m (1991, 1995, 1999)
3 Kutre Dulecha (ETH) in Women's 1500m (1995, 1999, 2003)
3 Vivian Peters-Chukwuemeka (NGR) in Women's SP (1999, 2003, 2007)
3 Margaret Simpson (GHA) in Heptathlon (2003, 2007, 2011)
3 Mustafa Al-Gamel (EGY) in Men's HT (2011, 2015, 2019)
3 Chris Harmse (RSA) in Men's HT (1999, 2003, 2007)
3 Namakoro Niare (MLI) in Men's DT (1965, 1973, 1978)
3 Adewale Olukoju (NGR) in Men's DT (1987, 1991, 1995)

MOST SUCCESSFUL NATION IN ONE EDITION
Nigeria (NGR) in Harare 1995 (15-9-8)
MOST MEDALS IN TOTAL (Single edition)
Kenya (KEN) in Nairobi 1987 (43 medals)

LONGEST WIN STREAKS BY A COUNTRY
11 Nigeria in Women's 100H (1973-2019)
9 Kenya in Men's 3000SC (1965-2007)
7 Nigeria in Women's 100m (1987-2011)
7 Nigeria in Women's 200m (1987-2011)
7 Nigeria in Women's 4x400m (1987-2011)
6 Nigeria in Women's 4x100m (1978-2003)
5 Kenya in Men's 800m (1965-1991)