KEY POINTS
- Discover African athletes who made history in 2024.
- From gold medals to world records, they redefined excellence.
- Be inspired by Africa’s finest sporting moments.
The year 2024 was a great year in every sense for African athletes, who put up impressive performances and made history.
These crowned world champions gave impressive performances and inspired fights that distinguished the African sports sensations.
From various corners of the world in their fields of expertise, they not only contributed but also pride themselves and millions of fans.
Here are the top 10 African athletes who made headlines in 2024 and impassioned the world of sports.
1. Letsile Tebogo (Botswana)
Born on June 7, 2003, Letisile Tebogo is fast rising as one of the youngest and most talented sprinters from Kanye, Botswana.
His athletic journey started at the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships, his world debut where he took gold in the 100 meters and silver in the 200 meters respectively.
For the first time that year, Tebogo became the first man from Botswana to ever run 100 meters in under 10 seconds by completing the race in 9.96 seconds at Gaborone International Meet.
He, however, raised this record to 9.91 seconds while at the World U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, and received comparisons to Usain Bolt because of early celebration before crossing the line.
During the year 2024 Summer Olympics, he won the 200 meters ahead of other competitors at the Paris Olympics final earlier, completing the race in 19.46 seconds which marked the first Olympic gold for Botswana.
This historic achievement necessitated a political act of marking August 9th as a Public Holiday in honor of this exceptionally talented citizen of the Republic of Botswana.
As appreciated, Tebogo was able to achieve great performances and, therefore, he was elected the World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year in December 2024 and he is the first African sprinter who earned it.
Tebogo has an existence on the social platforms through which he interacts with the fans and gives the snap of his training and competitions.
His followers can find him on his Instagram account with the ‘@tebogo_letsile_’, as the username; His popularity is increasing every day as he slowly but surely makes his way through the athletics world.
2025 outlook for Letsile Tebogo
Tebogo Lefani Letsile, the young 21-year-old sprinter from Botswana, is among the newly established forces that have found themselves at the top of the track and field world. In 2024, he also anchored Botswana’s 4x400m relay team to silver at the Paris Olympics.
Tebogo is looking forward to 2025 and the advancement of African sprinters to the international level. In as much as he has voiced his support for change he remains fixated on making Africa proud each year.
Since the World Athletics Championships is due in Tokyo, Tebogo is anticipated to stand tall in the 100m and 200m races.
His relationship with American rival Noah Lyles likely only grew stronger as both athletes are expected to challenge Bolt’s 200m world record anytime soon.
2. Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda)
Born on September 12th, 1996, in Kapchorwa Uganda, Joshua Cheptegei has grown to be one of the best long-distance runners in the entire world.
He became a solid contender in 2017 with a silver in the 10,000 meters at the Worlds and then followed it up with a gold at the 2019 World Championship in the same event.
In 2020, Cheptegei set new world records in both the 5,000 meters (12:35.36) and 10,000 meters (26:11.00), showcasing his exceptional endurance and speed.
These achievements placed him squarely in a position of long-distance running unbeatable.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Cheptegei secured the gold medal in the 10,000 meters, setting a new Olympic record of 26:43.14.
This triumph sealed the set of the main championships for him after he had earned a gold in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the 5,000-meter race.
Through his Consistency, Cheptegei has gained recognition and clamor from all parts of the globe.
Many are still being drawn by his commitment and success since he has greatly boosted Uganda’s reputation in international track and field.
He uses social media to interact with his fan base and his Instagram account is @joshuacheptegei, on which he shares his athlete experience.
2025 outlook for Joshua Cheptegei
Joshua Cheptegei, Ugandan long-distance running champion has outrightly controlled long-distance running events right from the 5,000m to the 10,000m categories.
Some of the achievements include multiple world championships and an Olympic gold since he is the current record holder in both distances.
If all goes well, Cheptegei will be holding his titles in the same year when the World Athletics Championships are slated to happen in Tokyo in 2025.
There have been talks of rivalries trying to break his world records especially because he has set records in the past about which some records have been broken.
There are some doubts that he might attempt to lessen down his own world records based on his past record achievements.
Moreover, the act of road racing is quickly gaining popularity and may encourage Cheptegei to try out half marathons or even embark on a full marathon race adding on to his portfolio.
3. Tatjana Schoenmaker (South Africa)
Tatjana Schoenmaker, born on July 9, 1997, in Johannesburg, South Africa, is a distinguished swimmer specializing in breaststroke events.
She became an international figure when she performed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where she had topped in 100m and 200m breaststroke sessions.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Schoenmaker won gold in the 200m breaststroke, setting a new world record of 2:18.100, and came second in the 100m breaststroke.
Her achievement also proved that she is the first South African woman to secure an Olympic swimming gold since 1996.
In 2024, Schoenmaker continued to dominate in her discipline, securing multiple medals at the World Aquatics Championships and maintaining her status as a leading figure in women’s breaststroke events.
Her fan base can easily interact with her on her Instagram profile with over 123,000 followers, @tatjanaschoen,
2025 outlook for Tatjana Schoenmaker
Tatjana has had thrilling career prospects that include Olympics and world records among others.
After her successes in Paris, Smith suggested she wants to retire from competitive swimming.
She indicated that she wants to live beyond her tremendous athletic performances.
“I think now it’s really about embracing life and seeing what’s outside of swimming, what my passions are outside of swimming,” she said.
Consequently, it is quite possible to assume that she is going to quit competitive swimming, preferring business affairs or other things.
4. Mariam Eniola Bolaji (Nigeria)
Born in 2006 in Nigeria, Mariam Eniola Bolaji has compelled a meteoric rise to para-badminton successes and a pioneer to African athletes.
Before becoming a para table tennis player, Bolaji switched to para-badminton under the tutelage of her coach Bello Rafiu Oyebanji who died in 2021; a huge loss.
His guidance and encouragement were instrumental in her development, and she has dedicated her successes to his memory.
In September 2024, at the age of 18, Bolaji made history at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games by securing the bronze medal in the women’s singles SL3 category.
She defeated Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna with a commanding 21-9, 21-9 victory, becoming the first African athlete to win a badminton medal at either the Olympic or Paralympic Games. Paralympic
This victory also meant that Nigeria secured its first medal at the Paralympics in Paris and gave a lot to evolve her nation’s achievement in sporting events.
Taking his historical performance into consideration, Bolaji has inspired many new-generation athletes not only throughout Africa but throughout the world.
Her story is an ideal inspirational message of endurance especially knowing that she has suffered some personal loss including her coach.
She has said of her achievements that she would like them to inspire other players in Africa to take up para-badminton to enhance the sport’s development across the continent.
As of December 2024, Bolaji is still active on social media, communicating with new followers and expanding his audience.
Her Instagram account @bolaji_eniola_mariam, gives information on her training, competitions, and additional thoughts.
Furthermore, she also posts new information and communicates with people on her X (formerly Twitter) account, @BolajiEniola9,
2025 outlook for Mariam Eniola Bolaji
As Bolaji moves to the future up to 2025, she has all the potential to expand her already progressive progress.
Her recent performance at the Paris Paralympics has created a benchmark that she will grace major international para-badminton events; the BWF Para-Badminton World Championships as well as other circuits.
Having risen from the previous ranking, there is the possibility of her equaling or even getting a better world ranking to the extent of getting better accolades such as gold next time.
As a devoted athlete and as one of the first para-badminton athletes from Nigeria, Bolaji will remain an influential sports woman in this new para-sport and will keep challenging society as well as the whole Nigerian and African continent to embrace the sport.
5. Hugues Fabrice Zango (Burkina Faso)
Hugues Fabrice Zango, who was born on 25th June 1993, in Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso is rapidly rising to become the world’s most famous athlete, particularly in the triple jump.
Despite the increased training to compete in this main field of activity, Zango undertook and succeeded, in a PhD program at the University of Artois in France thereby showcasing his academic competency in addition to athletic ability.
A brief overview of Zango’s athletic prominence is enough to tell that it’s bursting with record-breaking accomplishments.
He later rose to establish a new record in the triple jump indoors in January 2021 with a record of 18.07 meters making him the first indoor triple jumper to record above the 18 meters mark.
Such an achievement not only revealed his prodigy but also put Burkina Faso on the map of the international athletes.
Accomplishments
Burkina Faso’s Hugues Zango jumped 17.47 meters during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics held in 2021 due to coronavirus and achieved bronze thus becoming the country’s first Olympic medalist.
It remained one of the proudest moments in his country and many other young athletes in Africa moments of pride.
In March 2024, Zango also moved to the next level by winning the gold in the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
By achieving the current season’s performance of 17.53 meters, he is the first person from Burkina Faso to be world indoor champion, which established his credentials as one of the favorites of his discipline.
Besides what he has done given his sportsperson status, Zango has also made his input throughout society.
Equally in 2021, he became the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for children in Burkina Faso to fight for the deprived rights of youngsters back home.
As of December 2024, Zango maintains an active presence on social media, engaging with a substantial following. His official Facebook page, Hugues Fabrice ZANGO Officiel, boasts over 100,000 followers, where he shares insights into his training, competitions, and personal reflections.
2025 outlook for Hugues Fabrice Zango
Looking ahead to 2025, Zango is poised to continue his dominance in the triple jump.
Considering his steady advancement through performances he should be a strong contender for future international events such as the World Athletics Championships, and the Diamond League.
His determination to fine-tune his methods and experiment and innovate within a discipline, flagged up the possibility of his records and possibly world records.
Again, that Zango still maintains the title of Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF goes a long way to show his intention of furthering the change of his athletics social responsibility, especially in all things that have to do with the youth advancement and education in Burkina Faso.
6. Sifan Hassan (Netherlands/Ethiopia)
Sifan Hassan, born on the first day of the year 1993, in Adama, Ethiopia, competes for the Netherlands in middle- and long-distance running.
Born as a refugee in Tanzania, she arrived in the Netherlands when she was 15 years old, got her Dutch passport in 2013, and has risen sharply through the ranks in international track and field.
Hassan’s versatility across various distances is unparalleled.
At the 2019 World Championships, she achieved an extraordinary double by securing gold in both the 1,500m and 10,000m events, a feat unprecedented in the history of the championships.
Further, her journey to Olympic success was a meteoric one; she won gold medals in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 for 5000m and 10000m races and a bronze for 1500m which proved that she is consistent throughout a wide and long distance.
Accomplishments
In 2024 Hassan used his athletic ability to compete in the Paris Olympics. She triumphed in the women’s marathon, setting a new Olympic record with a time of 2:22:55.
Additionally, she earned bronze medals in both the 5,000m and 10,000m events, further solidifying her status as one of the most versatile and accomplished runners in the sport.
Aside from her sports accomplishments, Hassan made a fashion protest during the Paris Olympics as she accepted her marathon gold medal whilst rocking a hijab.
There was an opinion that it was done to support Muslim women athletes especially when France had banned the hijabs for their athletes in the Games.
Hassan’s outstanding accomplishments in 2024 made her became the Women’s World Athlete of the Year proving she is the one who dominates and controls athletics events.
As of October 2024, Hassan maintains an active presence on social media, with her Instagram account, @sifanhassan, amassing over 460,000 followers.
She also has a following of over 22,500 on X (formerly Twitter) under the handle @SifanHassan.
2025 outlook for Sifan Hassan
Hoping up to 2025, Hassan will remain unbeatable especially in track and road racing competitions..
Her flexibility makes her likely to compete in the big marathons and track events where she will seek to retain and perhaps break records.
Expectantly, she might try to race in several distances in major championships as it has been historically proved that she is an endurance racer with a tactical mind.
Additionally, her influence extends beyond the track, and she may continue to use her platform to advocate for inclusivity and cultural representation in sports.
Due to dedication and her great performance that exhibits cross generality in form of disciplines, one would look forward to more of her performance in the coming year.
7. Kaylia Nemour (Algeria)
Franco-Algerian artistic gymnast born on June 10, 2006, in Saint Benoit, Reunion is known as Kaylia Nemour. She first competed for France but switched to competing for Algeria in 2023.
Nemour was reported to have special exceptionalism in the uneven bars; she has been known to include other moves when in the event.
Nemour, in 2024, wrote her name in the history books as the first Algerian gymnast to be awarded a medal in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship where she took silver in uneven bars.
Her performance has received a lot of acclamation; thus it can be applauded as a breakthrough for Algerian gymnastics at the international level.
Nemour’s dedication and groundbreaking routines have garnered her a growing following.
She shares her gymnastics journey and achievements on her Instagram account, @kaylianemour.
2025 outlook for Kaylia Nemour
Currently, the public has focused on the stunning potential of a beginner from Algeria, Kaylia Nemour, an artistic gymnast.
Since moving from representing France to Algeria she has risen to prominence to become one of the key athletes from her country.
In 2025, Nemour is expected to compete in major international competitions, including the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
It is expected that her routine, primarily the uneven bars, could include more difficult moves which could be named after her in the future, therefore she stands the chance to create her fold across the sporting realm.
Her performances can also contribute to raising a new generation of gymnasts in Algeria and more over in the whole of Africa and in extending the sport of gymnastics throughout Africa.
8. Biniam Girmay (Eritrea)
Biniam Girmay, born on 2nd April 2000 in Asmara, Eritrea, has grown swiftly to be one of the most valuable cyclists in the world and an icon of Africa
He has greatly been passionate about cycling and his career started in Eritrea, which has a great cycling culture.
Girmay was first seen when he won a silver in the junior men’s road race at the 2018 UCI Road World Championships.
In his latest accomplishment in 2022, Girmay made history by being the first black African cyclist to finish a grand tour stage when he won stage 10 of the Giro d’Italia.
This was a dramatic win, which saw him shoot to fame internationally, and help to inspire a new generation of black cyclists in Africa. This was short-lived as he nearly blinded himself from champagne when celebrating his win, and he had to pull out of the race.
Achievements
The year 2024 was a pivotal year for Girmay seeing him make some outstanding milestones.
He triumphed in becoming the first African cyclist to win the green jersey in the Tour de France since the competition was designed as a test of speed that rewards the cyclist with the best points haul in the overall competition after amassing 387 points.
As an overall classification contender, he managed to get victories in the three critical stages of the race; the 3rd, the 8th and the 12th.
Girmay’s success has been celebrated both in Eritrea and internationally.
Upon his return to Eritrea, he was warmly welcomed by President Isaias Afwerki, who lauded his achievements as a source of national pride and inspiration for future athletes.
Beyond his competitive accolades, Girmay’s impact on the sport is profound. He has become a beacon for African cycling, demonstrating that athletes from the continent can compete and excel at the highest levels.
His journey reflects resilience, dedication, and the breaking of racial and continental barriers in professional cycling.
As of December 2024, Girmay maintains an active presence on social media, engaging with a growing fan base.
His Instagram account, @biniam_girmaye_hailu_, has garnered over 200,900 followers, where he shares insights into his training, competitions, and personal life.
2025 outlook for Biniam Girmay
As it stands now, it is expected that Girmay will be on the rise for the year 2025 and the coming years in cycling.
His involvement in Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana performances are eagerly expected to deliver more stage victories and could challenge for GC places.
Further, his role as an advocate for African cyclists as the first black rider in the Tour de France will also increase, they might include the training of young talents from the continent.
The commitment that Girmay demonstrates towards cycling and his successes which place him as the pioneer means that he will continue to be determined, fostering cycling and acknowledging Africans athletes globally.
9. Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)
Ademola Lookman was born in Wandsworth, London, on the 20th of October 1997 to Nigerian citizens, and he has come into limelight in the global football arena.
It is for this reason that he has been able to go from local leagues in England and rise to the international leagues. He started his professional foray at Charlton Athletic before a brilliant stint helped Everton to acquire him in January 2017.
After coming into the team he scored on his debut match in a match that ended 4-0 against Manchester City. Looking for more playing time, Lookman spent his time in the Bundesliga on a loan deal with RB Leipzig.
He then transferred to Atalanta in Serie A where he has established himself as an important player for the Italians through 2022.
Achievements
A landmark year for Lookman was in 2024. He mainly participated in the Atalanta UEFA Europa League where he contributed a lot in the Final by scoring a hat-trick to ensure that the club won its first European trophy.
To this, he has contributed wonderful performances that saw him meriting the CAF African Player of the Year award, the seventh Nigerian to do so.
Also, Lookman secured 14th position in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings, proving that he is a football celebrity.
Internationally, Lookman has represented Nigeria’s Super Eagles jersey in the national team. His effort was instrumental in taking Nigeria to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, where he also netted three goals during that competition.
Aside from being a soccer star, Lookman has also gained more fans in his social media profile. His fans on Instagram rose by over 85,000 after his CAF award, putting them at over 924,000.
His presence on social media platforms allows fans to engage with his journey and stay updated on his career.
2025 outlook for Ademola Lookman
As for 2025, everything seems to point towards Lookman’s continuing progress.
With him in that capacity, he will be among Atalanta’s important players in its endeavors in the Italian league and other European tournaments.
His goal scoring ability makes him a much-needed player, and there are always rumors that he would join prestigious teams from higher divisions.
Out at the international level, Lookman will seek to take Nigeria to the next level in future championships making him one of the greatest African footballers ever.
10. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Nigeria/Greece)
Giannis Antetokounmpo, fondly nicknamed the “Greek Freak” was born on December 6 1994 in Athens, Greece to Nigerian immigrants.
His story starting hawking merchandise on the streets of Athens to the NBA superstar is a clear depiction of hard work and talent on the young man.
Antetokounmpo sustained his greatness in the NBA in the year 2024. He guided Milwaukee Bucks to NBA Cup triumph contributing a mesmerizing triple-double of 26 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assist in the final match against Oklahoma City Thunder.
For this brilliant performance, he was given the NBA Cup MVP award and he has not been left behind in the list of winners.
During the 2024 season, he was performing ably and maintaining the single-digit average of 30.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 2.8 blocks per game in 6 NBA Cup games while continuing an unblemished in-season tournament record of 7-0.
Off the court, Antetokounmpo’s popularity is evident through his substantial social media following.
As of December 2024, he boasts approximately 19.2 million followers across platforms, reflecting his global appeal and influence.
2025 outlook for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Antetokounmpo is projected to remain the league’s top player in the NBA in the year 2025.
Despite having his birthday some days back, he is still young and healthy to give his all to the Milwaukee Bucks as they seek to clinch another NBA title.
Everyone has seen his dedication to the game, especially his long shot, which has been analyzed by many NBA players and coaches stating that he will advance this year.
Besides that, Giannis will continue to expand his impact beyond basketball with new endorsements and philanthropic projects making him one of the most valuable athletes on the planet.
