The biggest continental athletics meet in African Athletics has finally held in Mauritius brand new facility in Saint Pierre in 8-12 June 2022. The 22nd edition of African Senior Champs was originally scheduled in Oran 2020, but postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic, then cancelled after briefly moved to Nigerian city Warri in last summer.
The 2022 edition were probably remembered for the beginning of new sprinting era in the continent. In Mauritius, fast-rising Kenyan sprinters won five medals including most anticipated 100 metres by Ferdinand Omanyala, the African record holder. Nearly all sprint races marred by strong head winds and some rain during the races, thus caused no championship or national records in the sprints.
Kenya's in-form sprinter Omanyala secured a gold after a tight 100m contest against defending champion Akani Simbine, and beat him in just 0.003 seconds. Kenyan delegation have celebrated their first 100 metres gold in 30 years, meanwhile their joy doubled in the next day to have first 4x100 metres gold with 39.28 national record, which anchored by Omanyala in the final stretch.
In 200 metres, pre-race favorite Letsile Tebogo, World U20 100 metres champion, brought gold medal to Botswana while 400 metres title went to Muzala Samukonga of Zambia, only third gold ever for his country. If we included women's sprinting winners; first-timers Gambia's Gina Bass has won the 100 metres gold and Aminatou Seyni of Niger made it same in 200 - all six individual sprinting events shared by six different nations. More interestingly, most powerful sprinting power of the continent, Nigeria has failed to win a single sprinting medal for the first time in the African championships history. Nevertheless, Nigerian female quartet clinched 4x100 metres gold to save nation's "sprinting" honour in St.Pierre. Nigeria has finished the medal table in third place behind Kenya and South Africa, with having least medal since 2004.
Apart from Nigeria, other traditional sprinting nations such as Ghana and Cameroon have also lost their ground. Instead of the countries Botswana, Zambia and Gambia are shone at the speed events.
North African countries have not so impressed in Mauritius, all Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt have failed to take gold in five-days long championships. Only succeeded Maghreb team was Algeria there with their second-best finishing at African Champs with 5 golds, 3 silver and a bronze.
During the championships, the performance level wasn't high though as the only championship record broken by Nigerian male shot putter Chukwuebuka Enekwechi. New York born Enekwechi clinched his second African Champs gold with increased his own CR to 21.20m.
Here's the some notes from #AthleticsPodium evaluation table in African Champs:
♦ South Africa wins their most medals (36) since 1993. 11 of them came in throws.
♦ Zambia increased their total medal tally to 10. Four of them came here.
♦ Benin's only African gold medallist, Ahounwanou retains her heptathlon gold.
♦ Ghana's Rose Yeboah brought the country's first-ever high jump title.
♦ Zimbabwe got their first medal since 2006.
