The 13th All-Africa Games held in Ghana has come to an end.
About 5,000 athletes from 52 countries of the continent competed in 29 disciplines in Accra, Cape Coast and Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest city. from 8 March to 23 March.
Ghana built a new impressive $145 million Borteyman Sports Complex just for the games. It hosts a 1,000-seater Olympic-sized pool, a 10-lane competition pool and an 8-lane warm-up pool.
“We adopted what we called the hybrid model for building new facilities and modernizing old ones. In Borteyman, we have built one of the best aquatic centres in Africa,” said Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, the Executive Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 13th Games.
Athletes and sports officials alike said they were pleased with the organizing of the event.
“Bravo to the organizers for the work that has been done. Now, as far as the results are concerned, there too, we can speak of confirmation, we can speak of revelation,” said Allah Kouamé, the Vice-President of the African Cycling Confederation.
The games however did not produce a surprise from the final medals table. Egypt, with 189 total medals – 101 of them gold, dominated the Games, leaving Nigeria in a distant second with 121 medals and South Africa, in third position overall with 106 medals.
Nigeria had 47 gold, 33 silver and 41 bronze medals.
Athletes and visitors admitted the environment was serene, the weather was great, events well organized and the spirit of competition among the athletes congenial and respectful.
“It’s great to see different sports, different nationalities, and different people visiting the country, in such a dynamic environment,” commented one spectator.
Given that the continent’s football teams battled to win the Africa Cup of Nations just recently, only eight nations participated for the football competition.
Team Nigeria Returns
Back home, Sunday, Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu received the Nigerian contingent with glowing words. He was represented by his Minister for Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh.
The president told the athletes how proud Nigeria was of them. “For two weeks, fifty-two countries fiercely contested for honours in twenty-nine sports; dwelling in the most competitive manner to win laurels for their countries and Nigeria was involved in twenty-five of those.
“From our world-class athletes who burnt the tracks and triumphed to our dazzling wrestlers, boxers, weightlifters, and indeed other deserving sportsmen and women who were in imperial form, the indomitable Nigerian spirit was on full display, leaving behind whatever pre-games inadequacies”, the president said.
“The nation is thankful for the hard work and sacrifice of your individual and collective efforts.”
The 14th African Games will be held in Egypt in 2027.
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