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There are sporting events you attend out of obligation, and then there are those that grip you from the first starter's pistol and refuse to let go. The 24th African Athletics Championships, which opened on Tuesday at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon, Accra, belongs emphatically to the second category. Before the sun had fully set on Day 1, history had already been made three times over — and the continent's most prestigious track and field competition had served notice that the six days ahead would be worth every moment of anticipation.
Smith Stakes His Claim
The first gold medal of the Championships went to South Africa's Aiden Smith, a 21-year-old shot putter from the University of Johannesburg who has been in the form of his life. His winning throw of 20.01 metres was controlled rather than explosive — Smith himself admitted post-competition that he had hoped for more — but it was more than enough to see off Egypt's Mostafa Amr Ahmed (18.89m) and Cameroon's Billy Jospen Takougoum (17.01m). The margins tell a story of dominance.
Context matters here. Two weeks before arriving in Ghana, Smith threw 20.55 metres to win the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, then backed it up with 20.50m to finish third at the Simbine Classic. He arrived in Accra as the form athlete in his discipline, and he delivered under the pressure of a championship setting. 'I was hoping for a massive throw, but the conditions didn't allow it,' Smith said with a smile that suggested he knows bigger performances are coming. At 21, with a continental gold already in the cabinet, the sky is his ceiling.
Rwanda Rewrites History
If Smith's victory was the product of sustained excellence, Rwanda's Emeline Imanizabayo delivered something rarer: a genuine shock wrapped in a story of redemption and relentless ambition. The 30-year-old — who has spent years quietly building her credentials on the European circuit, including winning the women's 5,000 metres at the Dutch national championships earlier this season — produced a devastating late surge in the final straight to claim gold in the women's 5,000m final.
It is Rwanda's first-ever African Championships title in that event. In a race run in oppressive Accra humidity, with a tightly bunched field refusing to be separated until the final 200 metres, Imanizabayo showed the championship instincts of an athlete who had prepared meticulously for exactly this moment. 'I'm so happy, so overwhelmed by emotions,' she said. 'Before the competition, I told myself I was going to win this, and I thank my coaches who helped me to achieve my dream.' The words were simple. The achievement was anything but.
"Before the competition, I told myself I was going to win this. I thank my coaches who helped me achieve my dream." — Emeline Imanizabayo, Rwanda
Cameroon's Historic Discus Gold
The women's discus final provided yet another landmark moment. Cameroon's Nora Atim Monie, competing in what she described as one of her most important competitions to date, produced a fourth-round throw of 57.00 metres to claim gold — Cameroon's first-ever women's discus title at the African Championships. It was a result that underlined the growing depth of field athletics beyond the continent's traditional powerhouses.
Nigeria, not to be outdone, secured both silver and bronze through Divine Oladipo (55.37m) and Obiageri Amaechi (53.23m) respectively — a strong showing from a federation that has been investing heavily in its field events programme. For Monie, the victory had particular resonance: she had previously competed at the same Accra venue for the African Games in early 2024, leaving without a medal. She did not make the same mistake twice.
What Comes Next
With five more days of competition remaining, the stage is set for further fireworks. Nigeria's Tobi Amusan, the world record holder in the 100 metres hurdles, cruised through her heat with a time of 12.82 seconds and will line up in Wednesday's final as the overwhelming favourite to claim a third successive African title. Kenya's Julius Yego — competing at his final-ever African Championships at the age of 37 — begins his bid for a record-setting sixth javelin gold. Ghana's 4x100m relay team, led by two-time Olympian Joseph Amoah and the electrifying Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, will have the home crowd on its feet.
Day 1 was the promise. The remaining days will be the fulfilment. Accra, hold on tight.
