The latest edition of the All African Games ended amidst fanfare with winners counting their gains and losers left to reflect on what might have been.
The tournament held in Ghana had 53 out of 54 African countries participating in the games. Cape Verde wasn’t represented.
The game was initially marked for an August 2023 exhibition of what Africa possesses but a failure to complete facilities on time and issues over marketing revenue on the part of the organizers caused the postponment till March 2024.
The host nation didn’t perform as many expected but still managed to finish in sixth position with 19 gold, 29 silver and 20 bronze medals.
South Africa gave a good account of themselves as they occupied the third spot with 106 medals -32 gold, 32 silver and 42 bronze- to rank above Northern African Country, Algeria who went home with a tally of 114 consisting of 29 gold, 38 silver and 47 bronze medals.
Tunisia, another country from the Northern part of Africa was 5th on the log with 87 medals comprising of 21 gold, 27 silver and 39 bronze to stay ahead of Ghana, the host nation in 6th.
Egypt ensured that North Africa claimed the bragging rights by emerging winners of the event with 189 medals -101 gold, 46 silver and 42 bronze- to place ahead of the highest ranked nation from West Africa, Nigeria who finished in second position with 47 gold, 33 silver and 40 bronze to claim a total of 120 medals.