As the world turns its attention to Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Eastern Africa nations will be represented by a strong contingent of 261 athletes, each aiming to make a mark on the global stage.
The region, which is known for its exceptional talent in track and field athletics, more especially long-distance running, will see athletes from Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania compete across various disciplines.
Uganda will be represented by 25 athletes participating in four sports disciplines, while Kenya will have a large contingent of 161 athletes across six sports disciplines.
Ethiopia will be represented by 39 athletes in three disciplines, Rwanda will have eight athletes in four disciplines and Tanzania will be represented by seven athletes in three disciplines.
South Sudan will send 14 athletes to the Paris 2024 Olympics, including two runners in athletics and a 12-man basketball team, while Burundi will be represented by seven athletes across athletics, judo, and swimming.
Uganda
Uganda will have 25 athletes competing in four sports: athletics, swimming, cycling, and rowing. The team includes 21 runners, a rower, a cyclist, and two swimmers.
The male runners will feature Tokyo 2020 double medalist Joshua Cheptegei (5000m and 10000m), Bronze medalist Jacob Kiplimo (5000m and 10000m), Tarsis Gracious Orogot (200m), Tom Dradriga (800m), Oscar Chelimo (5000m), Martin Magengo Kiprotich (10000m), Leonard Chemonges (3000m steeplechase), Victor Kiplangat (marathon), Stephen Kissa (marathon), and Andrew Rotich Kwemoi (marathon).
The women’s team will be led by Peruth Chemutai, the reigning Olympic champion in the 3000m steeplechase.
Other notable female athletes include Belinda Chemutai (5000m), Halimah Nakaayi (800m), Winnie Nanyondo (1500m), Joy Cheptoyek (5000m/10000m), Esther Chebet (5000m), Sarah Chelangat (10000m), Annet Chemengich Chelangat (10000m), Stella Chesang (marathon), Mercyline Chelangat (marathon), and Rebecca Cheptegei (marathon).
In swimming, Gloria Muzito will compete in the 100m freestyle, while Jesse Ssengonzi will compete in the 100m butterfly.
Charles Kagimu will represent Uganda in the Men’s Road Race cycling event, and Kathleen Grace Noble will compete in the Single Scull Rowing event.
Kathleen Noble will be the first Ugandan to complete at this year’s Olympics. She will compete in the Women’s Singles Scull on Saturday, July 27, at 10:12 am EAT, with another race on August 3 at Nautical St – Flat Water.
Swimmer Gloria Muzito will compete in the Women’s 100m Freestyle on Tuesday, July 30, at 11:00 am, followed by the next round on Wednesday, July 31, at Paris La Defense Arena.
Jesse Ssengonzi will represent Uganda in the Men’s 100m Butterfly on Friday, August 2, at 11:00 am, with the subsequent round on August 3 at the same venue.
The track and field athletes representing Uganda will start completing on August 2nd.
Kenya
Kenya will be represented by a delegation of 161 athletes, competing in athletics, fencing (sword fighting), judo, men’s rugby sevens, women’s volleyball, and swimming.
Although the team has recently been faced with doping and age-cheating scandals, it remains one of the most-dominant on the continent.
The athletics team will feature Faith Kipyegon, who is top on the list for the country’s Olympics medals hopes. She will be aiming for her record third consecutive Olympic gold in the 1500m category.
Faith Kipyegon has previously won Gold at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics. If she wins her third consecutive Olympic gold in Paris, she’ll become the first athlete in the history of the event to achieve this feat, male or female.
Kenya will be represented by Emmanuel Wanyonyi in the 800m. The 19-year old athlete recently made history as the third-fastest man in the category when he won the 800 meters at the 2024 Athletics Kenya Olympic Trials with a time of 1 minute and 41.70 seconds.
He will be joined by Ferdinand Omanyala in the 100m, who set a world-leading time of 9.79 seconds in the men’s 100 meters.
Known as Africa’s fastest man, Omanyala will be one of Kenya’s flag bearers at the unique opening ceremony that will take place on the River Seine in Paris later today.
Other key Kenyan athletes include Wiseman Were (400m hurdles), Zablon Ekwam (400m), Boniface Mweresa, Kelvin Kipkorir, David Sanayaek, Kelvin Tauta, Mercy Chebet (400m), Veronica Mutua, and Maureen Thomas.
Kenya will also be represented by Perina Nakang, a refugee athlete born in South Sudan and now based in Kenya.
She is part of the 37-member IOC Refugee Olympic Team competing in Paris. This marks the third time a refugee team is participating in the Olympics, and represents approximately 120 million forcibly displaced people worldwide.
Perina, an 800-meter runner, fled conflict at the age of seven and found refuge in Kenya’s Kakuma camp, where she discovered her passion for sports. Now 21, she aims to achieve her personal best at the Games.
Kenya’s rugby sevens team, which arrived in France on Sunday, will also be in action.
The country will also be represented by their national women’s volleyball team known as Malkia Strikers, for the fourth time.
Malkia Strikers first appeared at the Olympics in 2000 and returned in 2004 and again in 2021 for the Tokyo Olympics. They secured their spot at the Paris 2024 Games by winning the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon in August last year when they finished as the highest-ranked team on the continent.
Kenya was represented by 85 athletes across six sports disciplines in the previous Tokyo Olympics and achieved an impressive haul of 10 medals.
The country is the most successful African nation at the Olympics with 113 medals to date.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia will send 39 athletes to compete in athletics, swimming, and boxing.
The team includes world-record holders and reigning champions such as Kenenisa Bekele, Tigist Assefa, Lamecha Girma, and Selemon Barega.
Selemon Barega will aim to defend his 10,000m title from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he triumphed over Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo.
In Paris, he will be joined in the 10,000m race by Berihu Aregawi and Yomif Kejelcha, with Kejelcha also competing in the 5000m event.
World record-holder Lamecha Girma will pursue his first global gold in the 3000m steeplechase, having previously secured silver in Tokyo and at the last three World Championships.
The Ethiopian women’s athletics delegation will feature athletes like Habitam Alemu in the 800 m race, in which Tsige Duguma, and Worknesh Mesele will also compete.
The 1500m will see Birke Haylom, Gudaf Tsegay, and Diribe Welteji in action, while for the 5000m, Ethiopia will be represented by Medina Eisa, Ejgayehu Taye, and Gudaf Tsegay, who will also compete in the 10,000m alongside Tsigie Gebreselama and Fotyen Tesfay.
The marathon team includes Megertu Alemu, Tigist Assefa, and Amane Beriso. In the 3000m steeplechase, Sembo Almayew and Lomi Muleta will represent Ethiopia.
Ethiopian boxers return to the Olympics after a 20-year absence, with Yadesa Lemma representing the country in boxing.
Rwanda
Rwanda will be represented by eight athletes in four sports: cycling, athletics, swimming, and fencing.
This marks the country’s debut in fencing at the Olympics.
The team includes cyclists Eric Manizabayo (road race) and Diane Ingabire (road race and ITT), runner Yves Nimubona (10000m), marathoner Clementine Mukandanga, swimmers Peyre Mitilla Oscar Cyusa (100m butterfly) and Lidwine Umuhoza Uwase (50m freestyle), and fencer Tufaha Uwihoreye.
Tanzania
Tanzania’s delegation of seven athletes will compete in athletics, swimming, and judo.
Long-distance runners Alphonce Simbu and Gabriel Geay will participate in the marathon, while swimmers Collins Saliboko and Sophia Latiff will represent the country.
Judoka Andrew Mlugu will compete in the judo category.
South Sudan
South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, will compete in its third Summer Olympics since debuting in 2016. The nation will send 14 athletes, featuring two runners and a 12-man basketball team.
In athletics, South Sudan will be represented by Abraham Majok Matet Guem in the men’s 800m and Atalena Napule Loliha in the women’s 100m.
South Sudan’s basketball team, known as the Bright Stars, made history by qualifying for the Olympics for the first time.
Led by Carlik Jones, who recently recorded a triple-double against Team USA on Sunday in their friendly, the team also includes former Los Angeles Laker Wenyen Gabriel and Charlotte Hornets forward JT Thor.
The Bright Stars secured their Olympic spot by finishing as the highest-ranked African team at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
They are set to face Serbia, Puerto Rico, and the USA, beginning their campaign against Puerto Rico on Sunday, July 28 and then USA, who they narrowly lost to in the friendly, on Wednesday, July 31.
Burundi
Burundi, which is competing in its eighth Summer Olympics since 1996, will send seven athletes to Paris. The team comprises participants in athletics, judo, and swimming.
In athletics, Burundi will be represented by Egide Ntakarutimana and Rodrigue Kwizera in the men’s 5000m, Celestin Ndikumana in the men’s 10000m, and Francine Niyomukunzi in both the women’s 5000m and 10000m events.
These athletes will be aiming to bring home Burundi’s first Olympic medals in track and field.
In judo, Ange Ciella Niragire will compete in the women’s –78 kg category, striving for a podium finish.
Meanwhile, in swimming, Burundi will be represented by Belly-Cresus Ganira in the men’s 50m freestyle and Lois Eliona Irishura in the women’s 50m freestyle.
The 2024 Paris Olympics will officially kick-off today with an Opening Ceremony, and go on till August 11. Viewers can catch all the action live on NBS Sport.
