SPORT - The African Mirror

Aug

20

2024

By AKHONA NDZUTA; JOHANNA MAVHUNGU, and MUNYARADZI CHATIKOBO

South Africa’s new arts minister can grow the industry – scholars outline what Gayton McKenzie’s 7 priorities should be

SPORT

SOUTH AFRICA’S Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has often been the focus of protests by the country’s artists. A string of ministers and former ministers have been tainted by claims of favouritism, corruption and elitist practices when it comes to funds. The new minister overseeing the department is Gayton McKenzie, an opposition politician who earned the post through negotiations to form a 2024 government of national unity. Leaving sport aside for now, we asked some arts policy researchers to tell us who McKenzie is and what he should do to fix the department and grow the cultural industries.…

Aug

17

2024

By The African Mirror

Kenya topped Africa’s Olympics medal table – but a new strategy will be needed to keep winning

SPORT

KENYA topped Africa’s medal tally at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as the east African country did at the last two games in 2020 and 2016. Kenya is a dominant force particularly because of the success of its middle-distance and long-distance runners. However, these games also revealed issues and developments that need to be debated in order to inform preparations for the next games in Los Angeles in 2028. These include the rise of women runners, fewer returns on men’s distance events and a need to diversify at a development level to meet the growing competitiveness from rival nations. Kenya came…

Aug

16

2024

By The African Mirror

Paris 2024: How Africa performed in Paris and the road to the 2028 LA Olympics

SPORT

STEPHEN GRANGER FOR a little over two weeks, hundreds of thousands of Paris-based spectators and billions globally were treated to another edition of ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’. The Olympic Games have no equal as a vehicle to show off the extraordinary sporting talent of the human race. Tickets for sports, which normally would scarcely attract more than the families of the participants, were snapped up at eye-wateringly high prices. Sports such as judo, badminton, table tennis, sport climbing, BMX, skateboarding, and yes, even ‘breaking’, were played to packed stadiums and arenas. Track and field, which in many parts of…

Aug

14

2024

By Jovial Rantao

Ten milestones achieved by African athletes in Paris

SPORT

Bonface Orucho and Oliver Ochieng, bird story agency PARIS 2024 played host to a veritable parade of African excellence, where the continent's athletes carved out some unforgettable medal moments. At the heart of this success was Africa's enduring dominance in the marathon. Despite the participation of marathon legends like Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele, the marathon saw new heroes rise and records fall. Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola stormed to gold, with Somalia-born Belgian Samir Abdi second and Kenya's resilient Benson Kipruto third, marking a new era of marathon champions. On the women's side, Ethiopian-born Dutch sensation Sifan Hassan showcased her relentless…

Aug

13

2024

By The African Mirror

Egypt’s Olympic Dream: Aiming to make history as Africa’s first host

SPORT

IN the wake of African athletes' remarkable performances at the 2024 Paris Games, Egypt is boldly stepping forward with a vision to become the first African nation to host the Olympic Games. This ambitious goal reflects not only Egypt's desire to showcase its growing capabilities but also represents a milestone for the entire continent. Mustapha Berraf, head of the African National Olympic Committees Association (ANOCA), has announced that Egypt will bid to host both the 2036 and 2040 Summer Olympics. This declaration comes as the curtain falls on the Paris Olympics, where African athletes demonstrated their world-class talents, further igniting…

Aug

11

2024

By The African Mirror

African athletes bring home Olympic glory

SPORT

AFRICAN countries have made significant achievements at the 2024 Paris Olympics, bringing home gold, silver and bronze medals. Kenyan Faith Kipyegon sealed her status as a legend of African and World athletics when she shattered the Olympic record and won the third consecutive gold medal in the women's 1500m. Another Kenyan legend is Beatrice Chebet, the Kenyan long-distance runner who won the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the 5000m and 10,000m races, becoming the third woman in history to win both these races at the same Olympic games. In a dazzling display of athletic prowess, Ahmed Elgendy…

Aug

09

2024

By The African Mirror

20th edition of Basketball Without Borders Africa camp concludes in South Africa

BASKETBALL

BASKETBALL Without Borders (BWB) Africa 2024 concluded on Tuesday, August 6 at the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ) in South Africa, where 60 boys and girls returned to the final day to participate in a Q&A panel with current and former NBA and WNBA players, a three-point contest, semifinals and championship games. The basketball action tipped off with the semifinals, followed by the championship games between girls’ teams Aces and Liberty, with eventual winners Aces coached by Portland Trail Blazers Assistant Video Coordinator, Ikenna Smart, claiming the bragging rights, while for the boys, the Hawks, coached by Assistant Coach…

Aug

08

2024

By SILALEI SHANI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Performances from Nigeria and South Sudan at the Paris Olympics mark a new chapter in African basketball

BASKETBALL

WHEN Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, pulled off a historic upset in women’s basketball with a 75-62 defeat of Australia’s Opals in their opening game, the win resounded through African basketball. Closing out the first half with a 13-point lead and on the back of Ezinne Kalu’s 19 points, Nigeria managed to hold off the Opals until the final quarter when Australia cut down the lead to make it a one-possession game with 4 minutes left on the clock. Amy Okwonkwo, who currently plays for French basketball club Bourges, delivered a clutch 3, allowing Nigeria to go on another run…

Aug

08

2024

By STEPHEN GRANGER, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Paris 2024: Africa’s marathon runners gear up for the ultimate test of endurance at an Olympics like no other

SPORT

THE men’s and women’s marathons will close out the Paris Olympics and anticipation is growing ahead of what are likely to be exceptionally hard-fought events. The two races, which could go down in history as the most competitive in the 128-year marathon history will see some of Africa’s leading distance runners, deemed favourites in this category, seek to bag the majority of the medals at stake. According to World Athletics CEO, Jon Ridgeon, “The marathon is one of the highlight events at the Olympics.” “If (top Kenyan) Eliud Kipchoge wins a third gold it would be history-making.” Ridgeon, who is…

Aug

06

2024

By The African Mirror

Africa’s Olympic golden girl from Morocco

SPORT

IN a breathtaking display of skill and determination, 17-year-old Kaylia Nemour etched her name into Olympic history on Sunday, becoming the first African gymnast to clinch a gold medal. Her electrifying performance on the asymmetric bars at the Paris Games not only secured Algeria's first medal of the Olympics but also marked a watershed moment for gymnastics in Africa. Born to a French mother and Algerian father, Nemour's journey to the top of the Olympic podium is a testament to perseverance and talent. Despite facing obstacles, including knee surgeries and a complex transition from representing France to Algeria, Nemour's unwavering…