Top 10 Legendary African Female Athletes

In Summary

• Profiles the Top 10 legendary African female athletes, including icons like Tirunesh Dibaba, Asisat Oshoala, Kirsty Coventry, and Chioma Ajunwa.
• Highlights their historic achievements, from Olympic golds and world records to breaking cultural and gender barriers in global sports.
• Explores how these athletes became role models and pioneers, inspiring future generations across Africa and beyond.

Deep Dive!!

Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, October 2— Didier Drogba, Haile Gebrselassie, and other male athletes frequently come to mind when African sports legends are discussed. However, the continent has also produced a unique generation of female athletes who have rewritten history in sports far beyond athletics.

African women have overcome obstacles like inadequate infrastructure, cultural barriers, and a lack of support to establish themselves as some of the world's best athletes in a variety of sports, including basketball, tennis, swimming, and football. More than just champions, these women serve as role models, encouraging millions of young girls to think that their aspirations are real.

This article honours the accomplishments and enduring legacy of the top 10 legendary African female athletes in a variety of sports.

10. Tegla Loroupe (Kenya – Marathon Running & Peace Advocate)

Tegla Loroupe is, of course, one of the pioneers of women’s distance running, born on May 9, 1973. 

She won the New York City Marathon twice, in 1994 and 1995, becoming the first African woman to do so. She also broke several long-distance running world records, like becoming a three-time World Half Marathon champion, and a holder of world records in 20, 25, and 30 kilometres.

Her achievements also include winning marathons in major cities and earning bronze medals at the World Championships

However, Loroupe's influence extends beyond sports. She has rehabilitated child soldiers, empowered women through running, and utilised athletics to foster peace in conflict-ridden regions of Africa through the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation.

She is one of Africa's best sports ambassadors because of her humanitarian efforts in addition to her medal collection. She played a key role in organising the Refugee Team for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

9. Françoise Mbango Etone (Cameroon – Triple Jump Athlete)

Françoise Mbango Etone is a legend in the women’s triple jump from Cameroon, born on April 14, 1976. She made history by winning two consecutive Olympic gold medals in the triple jump at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, while representing Cameroon. 

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she set a new Olympic triple jump record with a distance of 15.39 meters. The third-longest women's triple jump in history is 15.39 meters under any conditions.

Etone was the first female Cameroonian athlete to take home medals from the Olympic, World, and Commonwealth Games. Since November 2002, she has been a recipient of an Olympic Solidarity scholarship.

In addition to winning gold, Mbango Etone served as a role model for African women competing in field sports, which are often dominated by competitors from America and Europe. 

8. Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya – Marathon Running)

Born on September 27, 1993, Peres Jepchirchir is one of Africa's most accomplished athletes and a formidable force in the marathon running world. Before making history on the largest platform, Jepchirchir, who was born in Kenya, developed her career in road racing.

She established herself as one of the best distance runners when she won the gold medal in the women's marathon at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which took place in 2021. Being only the second Kenyan woman to win Olympic marathon gold, her triumph was more than just a medal; it was a source of pride for both Kenya and Africa.

She is also notable for winning the 2024 London Marathon (women-only world record holder) and the 2024 World Athletics Championships marathon. She is also a two-time World Half Marathon Champion (2016, 2020) and a third global half marathon title at the 2023 World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, making her a three-time champion. Jepchirchir holds the distinction of being the first woman to win both the Olympic and World Championships marathon titles. 

7. Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwe – Swimming)

Kirsty Coventry is Africa's most decorated Olympian in swimming, born on September 16, 1983. In a sport that is dominated by the USA and Australia, Coventry, who was born in Zimbabwe, became a global celebrity after winning seven Olympic medals, including two golds (2 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze) won across five Olympic Games.

Throughout her career, she broke numerous world records and won numerous awards, such as the African Swimmer of the Year. She is a multi-time World Champion and holds five world records.

After achieving success in sports, Coventry went on to become a sports leader. She is currently the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts, and Recreation for Zimbabwe and a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in March 2025.

6. Chioma Ajunwa (Nigeria  – Field Athlete)

Born December 25, 1970, in Umuihiokwu, Chioma Ajunwa started as a footballer before transitioning to athletics. She became the first Nigerian and the first West African woman to win an Olympic gold in track and field when she represented Nigeria in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and won the gold medal in the women's long jump. 

In addition to securing her place in history, her 7.12-meter winning jump served as motivation for a new generation of African athletes. Before her athletics career, she also played for the Nigerian women's football team, appearing in the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup.

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5. Ons Jabeur (Tunisia – Tennis Player)

The most accomplished African tennis player of the Open Era is Ons Jabeur, born in 1994 in Ksar Hellal, Tunisia. She became the first Arab and African woman to make it to the Grand Slam finals (Wimbledon 2022, 2023; US Open 2022), achieved a career-high WTA world No. 2 (June 2022), and won six WTA titles, including a WTA 1000 in Madrid. She is also the first Arab woman to win a WTA title and reach the top 10 in the world rankings.

By 2025, Jabeur announced that she will be taking an indefinite break from the game, following early withdrawals from the French Open and Wimbledon, to focus on her health. However, her legacy is safe at age 31 with a potential return on sight since she has inspired a new generation of North African talent and won over $10 million in prize money.

4. Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria – Football)

Born on October 9, 1994, Asisat Oshoala is arguably the most popular name in African women's football. The Nigerian star player has become one of the world's top female football players. Oshoala, who recently joined Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal, has won the Spanish league's Golden Boot (Pichichi Award) and several UEFA Women's Champions League titles with Barcelona. 

She is the first African woman to score in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final, and has scored in three consecutive FIFA Women's World Cups. Oshoala is the most decorated female football player on the continent, having won the African Women's Footballer of the Year award a record six times.

Her international career includes multiple Africa Women's Cup of Nations (WAFCON) victories with Nigeria, while her club career includes multiple La Liga crowns, Copa de la Reina trophies, and Supercopas.

3. Maria Mutola (Mozambique – Middle-Distance Running)

Born on October 27, 1972, Maria Mutola, often known as "The Maputo Express," is a legend in middle-distance running. For almost twenty years, she dominated the 800m, her speciality.

Mutola has won three World Indoor Championships, three World Outdoor Championships, and an Olympic gold medal in Sydney 2000, among other accolades.  She competed in six consecutive Olympic Games from 1988 to 2008, maintaining her position at the top for years.

Having won Mozambique's first and only Olympic gold medal, she continues to be the country's greatest athletic legend. She has continued to have an impact on African sports by mentoring future athletes even after she retired from athletics in 2008 at the age of 35.

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2. Derartu Tulu (Ethiopia – Long-Distance Running)

Born on March 21, 1972, Derartu Tulu is the name that has altered the course of African women's sports history forever. She won the 10,000m in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, making history as the first Black African woman to win an Olympic gold medal.

Her triumph was a historic occasion. She halted as she crossed the finish line to wait for South Africa's Elana Meyer, who had come in second, and they did a lap of honour together.

Tulu went on to earn a bronze in the 10,000m at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and another gold at the Olympics in Sydney in 2000. She also had a lengthy and successful career in road racing and world championships.

Tulu was a three-time World Cross Country champion (1995, 1997, 2000), won gold and silver at the World Championships in the 10,000m, and became a victorious marathon runner in London (2000) and New York (2009). She was serving as the President of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation from 2018 to 2024, before she was succeeded by Sileshi Sihine.

1. Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia – Long-Distance Running)

Born on October 1, 1985, Tirunesh Dibaba, often known as the "Baby Faced Destroyer," is undoubtedly one of the best long-distance runners of all time, both in Africa and worldwide. Dibaba's ascent seems predestined, as she was born in Bekoji, Ethiopia, a place renowned for producing top runners.

She has four individual World Cross Country (WCC) adult titles, one individual WCC junior title, five World Championship track gold medals, and three Olympic track gold medals. Up until 2020, Tirunesh held the world record for the 5,000-meter outdoor track.

Tirunesh made history by becoming the first female to win both the 5000-meter and 10000-meter events at the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. She and another woman, Sonia O'Sullivan, won the World Cross Country short and long course titles at the same event in 2005 in Saint-Galmier, France. With her 2003 World Championship triumph, she became the youngest World Champion at the age of 18 years and 90 days.

Honourable Mentions

Beyond our Top 10, Africa has given birth to numerous additional outstanding female athletes who merit praise for their contributions to sports. Despite not making the top list, these women's accomplishments are nevertheless motivational.

• Caster Semenya (South Africa – Middle-Distance Running)

A two-time Olympic champion in the 800m, Semenya has dominated her event while standing firm against global controversy.

• Amantle Montsho (Botswana – 400m Running)

Botswana’s greatest female athlete, Montsho, became a World Champion in the 400m, raising her country’s profile in global athletics.

• Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi – Football)

One of Africa’s brightest football stars, Chawinga, has topped scoring charts in Sweden, Italy, and France, proving Malawi can produce world-class talent.

• Ese Brume (Nigeria – Long Jump)

A consistent medalist on the world stage, Brume has won World Championship and Olympic medals, becoming Nigeria’s leading field athlete of her era.

• Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon – Football)

A standout striker for Cameroon, Nchout’s goals at the Women’s World Cup captured global attention.

• Nawal El Moutawakel (Morocco – Hurdles)

The first Moroccan, African, and Muslim woman to win Olympic gold, El Moutawakel triumphed in the 400m hurdles at Los Angeles 1984, making history for women in sport across the Arab world and Africa.

• Isabelle Sambou (Senegal – Wrestling)

An icon of women’s wrestling in Africa, Sambou won multiple African Championships and competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. 

• Peruth Chemutai (Uganda – Steeplechase)

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Chemutai made history as the first Ugandan woman to win an Olympic gold medal, dominating the 3000m steeplechase.

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