Fatou Bintou Fall of Senegal after her African Championhips 400m win - Brazzaville (© Ouma)
Gold medals won by women athletes significantly lifted Senegal’s and Morocco’s standing on the medal table on what was the most exciting day of competition so far at the 14th African Athletics Championships in Massamba Debat Stadium, yesterday, Friday 16 July, reports Mark Ouma.
Fall – 50.62 PB – wins women’s 400m
The women’s 400m final lived up to the fans expectation. Fatou Bintou Fall of Senegal surged into the lead on the back straight, covering the first half of the race in 23.4 seconds. Coming into the home straight the other finalists electrified the Massamba Debat stadium with excitement as they gradually cut down Fall’s lead.
However, the graceful Senegalese sprinter who was the All-African Games winner last year, held off the spirited challenge from defending champion Nadjina Kaltouma (Chad), Cameroonians Hortense Bewounda and Mireille Nguimgo, Awatef Ben Hassine (Tunisia) to win the 400 final in a career best of 50.62 second.
Kaltouma was runner up in a season best of 50.80. Bewounda (51.15), pipped Nguimgo (51.20) for the bronze medal. Hassine (51.56) bettered the Tunisia national record for the second time in as many days. She won her semifinal in a record time of 51.69. South Africans Heide Seyerling (51.67) and Estie Wittstock (51.85) foll0wed, while Nigeria’s Ngozi Nwukocha failed to complete the race
“This has been the most important achievement of my life,” confirmed Fall.”I do not have enough words to express how happy I am. This has put me in a confident mood for the Olympics where I hope to reach the finals. I am also sure we will beat Nigeria in the 4x400m relay at these championships.”
Ndoye bags Senegalese gold
Senegal secured their second gold medal through Kene Ndoye who had already taken the silver in the women’s Triple Jump on the opening day of these championships.
Ndoye confirmed her victory in the women’s Long Jump with her opening 6.54m attempt. However, she carried the day in style when in her final jump she set a Senegalese national record of 6.64m, which also achieved the Olympic B qualifying standard for the event.
There was also a second place for Senegal behind Surita Febbraio of South Africa who won the women's 400m Hurdles in 55.12. Tacko Diouf won the silver in 55.62.
Two victories for Morocco
The women's middle distances brought Morocco much to celebrate with an 800m win for Saida el Mehdi in 2:03.52 ahead of the Kenyans Charity Wandia (2:04.08) and Caroline Chepkwony (2:04:48) who took the minor podium slots.
“I am ranked fourth in the women’s 800m in Morocco and so may not go to the Olympics,"said Mehdi. "But I hope to be considered for the Pan-Arab Games in September in Algiers”.
More impressive was the 9:53.46 win of Bouchra Chaabi in the 3000m Steeplechase which demolished the hopes of fellow Moroccan Nawal Baibi (10:11.42) and South African Masehla Tebogo (10:34.40), the silver and bronze medallists respectively.
"I regret that the women’s steeplechase is not on the Olympic programme. Anyway I hope to break the Africa record at the Pan Arab Games. Then I will focus on the World Championships in Helsinki next year,” said Chaabi.
Milazar takes third 400m win with late surge
Eric Milazar (Mauritius) lived up to his promise when he held of the late surge by Ezra Sambu (Kenya) to carry the day in the men’s 400m in a time of 45.03 to Sambu’s 45.33.
Talkmore Nyongani gave Zimbabwe their first medal of the championships after the replay of the slow motion in which he edged out Vincent Mumo of Kenya. Both clocked 45.69. while Marcus la Grange (45.74) was also inside the Olympic A qualifier.
“I have achieved my aim in Brazzaville of winning my third consecutive Africa title,” said Milazar. “It has been a great warm up for the Olympics. This is my fastest time this year, and with one month to my race at the Olympics, I hope to improve my time in Athens.”
Silver lining for Togo
Elsewhere, Alifatou Djibril (52.62) plucked Togo a second medal at these championships by clinching a silver medal in the women’s Discus. She was runner up to South Africa’s Elizna Naude (57.50). While Egypt’s Moselhy Zoghary Hera (50.58) took the bronze medal.
Djibril had earlier on clinched a bronze medal in the highly competitive shot put.
“I had hopes of making the Olympic B standard in the Discus. Well next time I hope to have better luck,” says Djibril who is based in Adelaide, Australia, and set a national record of 56.16 (3rd place) at their championships in February.
Updated SELECTED RESULTS as at end of July 16 (DAY THREE)
MEN
100m (0.0)
1 Olusoji Fasuba Fasuba (Nigeria) 10.21
2 Idriss Sanou (Burkina Faso) 10.37
3 Jaysuma Saidy Ndure (Gambia) 10.43
400m
1 Eric Milazar (Mauritius) 45.03
2 Ezra Sambu (Kenya) 45.33
3 Talkmore Nyongani (Zimbabwe)
4 Vincent Mumo (Kenya) 45.69
5 Marcus la Grange (South Africa) 45.74
110m Hurdles (0.0)
1 Todd Jouda Matthews (Sudan) 13.70 CR
2 Shaun Bownes (South Africa) 13.80
3 Frikkie van Zyl (South Africa) 13.81
1500m
1 Paul Korir (Kenya) 3:39.48
2 Peter Ashak (Sudan) 3:41.31
3 Yassine Bensghir (Morocco) 3:41.49
3000m Steeplechase
1 David Chemweno (Kenya) 8:17.31
2 Richard Matelong (Kenya) 8:26.34
3 Abdellatif Chemlal (Morocco) 8:31.01
10,000m
1 Charles Kamathi (Kenya) 28:07.83
2 Dinkesa Abebe (Ethiopia) 28:10.49
3 Admsu Yebeltal (Ethiopia) 28:28.69
20km Walk
1 Julius Sawe (Kenya) 1:27:43
2 Hassanine Sbai (Tunisia) 1:28:35
3 Moussa Aouanduk (Algeria) 1:29:02
4 Daniel Foudiem Ganno (Cameroon) 1:33:34 NR
5 Areki Yahi (Algeria) 1:36:33
6 Ashenafi Merecho (Ethiopia) 1:39:25
7 Kalamba Beya (Democratic Republic of Congo) 1:1:48:07 NR
Long Jump
1 Jonathan Chimier (Mauritius) 8.06
2 Kaba Badji Ndiss (Senegal) 7.86
3 Nabil Adamou Med (Algeria) 7.72
Discus
1 Frantz Kruger (South Africa) 63.85
2 Hannes Hopley (South Africa) 63.50
3 Nabil Kirame (Morocco) 52.12
Hammer
1 Chris Harmse (South Africa) 75.90
2 Sabeur Souid (Tunisia) 70.71
3 Elraoul Ahmed Abd (Egypt) 67.87
4x 100m
1 Nigeria 38.91
2 South Africa 39.59
3 Cameroon 39.87
WOMEN
100m (+0.2)
1 Endurance Ojokolo (Nigeria) 11.33
2 Mercy Nku (Nigeria) 11.36
3 Geraldine Pillay (South Africa) 11.40
400m
1 Fatou Bintou Fall (Senegal) 50.62 PB
2 Nadjima Kaltouma (Chad) 50.80
3 Hortense Bewouda (Cameroon) 51.15
4 Mireille Nguimgo (Cameroon) 51.20
5 Awatef Ben Hassine (Tunisia) 51.56 NR
6 Heide Seyerling (South Africa) 51.67
7 Estie Wittstock (South Africa) 51.85
400m Hurdles
1 Surita Febbraio (South Africa) 55.12
2 Tacko Diouf (Senegal) 55.62
3 Awatef Ben Hassine (Tunisia) 56.79 NR
800m
1 Saida el Mehdi (Morocco) 2:03.52
2 Charity Wandia (Kenya) 2:04.08
3 Caroline Chepkwony (Kenya) 2:04:48
3000m Steeplechase
1 Bouchra Chaabi (Morocco) 9:53.46
2 Nawal Baibi (Morocco) 10:11.42
3 Masehla Tebogo (South Africa) 10:34.40
5000m
1 Etalemahu Kidane (Ethiopia) 16:25.83
2 Prisca Jepleting (Kenya) 16:26.15
3 Angele Haronsimana (Burundi) 19:55.99
20km Walk
1 Grace Wanjiku (Kenya) 1:42:45
2 Nicolene Cronje (South Africa) 1:43:57
3 Bahia Boussad (Algeria) 1:46:12
Long Jump
1 Kene Ndoye (Senegal) 6.64 NR
2 Kadiatou Camara (Mali) 6.29
3 Yah Soucko (Mali) 6.27
Triple Jump
1 Yamile Aldama (Sudan) 14:90
2 Kene Ndoye (Senegal) 14.44
3 Mariette Mien (Burkina Faso) 12.61
4 Teima Cossa (Mozambique) 11.85 NR
High Jump
1 Hestrie Cloete (South Africa) 1.95
2 Samantha Dodd (South Africa) 1.60
3 Janice Josephs (South Africa) 1.50
Pole Vault
1 Cyrine Balti (Tunisia) 4.00
2 Samantha Dodd (South Africa) 3.80
3 Nancy Cheekhoussen (Mauritius) 3.70
Javelin
1 Sunette Viljoen (South Africa) 60.13 CR
2 Aida Sallem (Tunisia) 54.68
3 Ceicilia Kiplagat (Kenya) 48.78
4 Adama Sane (Senegal) 42.21 NR
Discus
1 Elizna Naude (South Africa) 57.50
2 Alifatou Djibril (Togo) 52.62
3 Moselhy Zoghary Hera (Egypt) 50.58
Shot Put
1 Wafa Ismail Boghdady (Egypt) 15.53
2 Amel Ben Khalid (Tunisia) 15.45
3 Alitatou Djibril (Togo) 15.16
Heptathlon
1 Margaret Simpson (Ghana) 6154
2 Janice Josephs (South Africa) 5785
3 Celine Laporte (Seychelles) 5172
4x100m
1 Nigeria 44.32
2 South Africa 44.42
3 Senegal 45.21
MEDAL TABLE AS AT 16 JULY (END OF DAY THREE)
COUNTRY GOLD SILVER BRONZE
South Africa 6 8 4
Kenya 5 4 2
Nigeria 4 1 0
Senegal 2 3 1
Morocco 2 1 3
Sudan 2 1 0
Mauritius 2 0 1
Tunisia 1 4 1
Ethiopia 1 1 1
Egypt 1 0 2
Ghana 1 0 0
Burkina Faso 0 1 1
Mali 0 1 1
Togo 0 1 1
Chad 0 1 0
Algeria 0 0 3
Cameroon 0 0 2
Burundi 0 0 1
Gambia 0 0 1
Seychelles 0 0 1
Zimbabwe 0 0 1
