Kafrican
JF-Expert Member
- Jan 26, 2015
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we look at Africa’s most successful countries at the Summer Games.
Do you know which African country has won the most medals overall? What about the African country with the most gold medals?
Ahead of the Rio Games, which takes place from August 5-21, here is the top five in reverse order:
5 Nigeria – 23 medals: 3 (gold) 8 (silver) 12 (bronze)
The West African powerhouse first appeared at the Summer Olympics in 1952 in Helsinki, but only won their first medal at Tokyo in 1964 with Nojim Maiyegun winning bronze in the men’s boxing lightweight division.
Thirteen of their medals (two gold) have come from athletics while boxing has provided six medals.
Their three gold medals have come from Chioma Ajunwa (women’s long jump 1996 Atlanta), the men’s Under-23 ‘Dream Team’ (football 1996 Atlanta) and the men’s 4x400m athletics relay team (2000 Sydney).
4 Egypt – 26 medals: 7 (gold) 9 (silver) 10 (bronze)
They made their debut in 1912 as they sent one athlete to Stockholm, but their first medals (two golds, one silver and one bronze) only came at the 1928 Amsterdam Games.
Nine of their medals (seven gold) have come in weightlifting and wrestling. Karam Gaber, who won gold in the Men’s Greco-Roman 96 kg in 2004 and silver in 2012, is their most-successful athlete.
3 Ethiopia – 45 medals: 21 (gold) 7 silver 17 (bronze)
Since making their debut at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Ethiopia has collected 45 medals. No prizes for guessing which event has provided all their medals. Yes, it’s athletics.
Abebe Bikila (men’s marathon) won their first medal (gold) at the 1960 Rome Games while running barefoot, but they had the best edition in Sydney in 2000 when they picked up eight medals, including four gold.
They have produced some of the truly greats in long-distance running and Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba have both won three gold medals each while the former is also the owner of a silver medal and the latter the owner of two bronze gongs.
2. South Africa – 76 medals: 23 (gold) 26 (silver) 27 (bronze)
Despite not competing at the Olympics from 1964 until 1988 after being barred due to apartheid, South Africa sit second on the list.
The bulk of their medals came before the ban kicked in in 1964 with their best performances coming at the 1920 Antwerp and 1952 Helsinki Games as they won 10 medals at both events.
Athletics (24) has provided the bulk of their medals with boxing (19) and swimming (17) next on the list.
Charles Winslow (tennis) and Penny Heynes (swimming) are the most successful athletes having each won two gold medals and a bronze.
1 Kenya – 86 medals: 25 (gold) 32 (silver) 29 (bronze)
The East African giants is in top spot for African countries with a total of 86 medals, but they are only down in 33rd place in the overall table, which is topped by the United States with 2,406 medals.
It is no surprise that 79 of Kenya’s medals have come from middle-and long-distance events, with boxing making up the other seven.
They first made their debut in 1956, but had to wait until the 1964 Tokyo Games before picking up their first medal, a bronze through Wilson Kiprugut in the 800m.
Their first gold followed at the next edition in Mexico City with Naftali Temu (men’s 10,000m), Kipchoge Keino (men’s 1500m) and Amos Biwott (men’s 3000m steeplechase) all reaching the top step of the podium.
The 2008 Games in Beijing was their most successful as they won 14 medals (six gold) in total.
6 Morocco 22 medals (6 gold 5 silver 11 bronze),
7 Algeria 15 medals (5 gold 2 silver 8 bronze),
8 Tunisia 10 medals (3 gold 3 silver 4 bronze),
9 Zimbabwe 8 medals (3 gold 4 silver 1 bronze) and
10 Uganda 7 medals (2 gold 3 silver 2 bronze) complete the top 10.
Do you know which African country has won the most medals overall? What about the African country with the most gold medals?
Ahead of the Rio Games, which takes place from August 5-21, here is the top five in reverse order:
5 Nigeria – 23 medals: 3 (gold) 8 (silver) 12 (bronze)
The West African powerhouse first appeared at the Summer Olympics in 1952 in Helsinki, but only won their first medal at Tokyo in 1964 with Nojim Maiyegun winning bronze in the men’s boxing lightweight division.
Thirteen of their medals (two gold) have come from athletics while boxing has provided six medals.
Their three gold medals have come from Chioma Ajunwa (women’s long jump 1996 Atlanta), the men’s Under-23 ‘Dream Team’ (football 1996 Atlanta) and the men’s 4x400m athletics relay team (2000 Sydney).
4 Egypt – 26 medals: 7 (gold) 9 (silver) 10 (bronze)
They made their debut in 1912 as they sent one athlete to Stockholm, but their first medals (two golds, one silver and one bronze) only came at the 1928 Amsterdam Games.
Nine of their medals (seven gold) have come in weightlifting and wrestling. Karam Gaber, who won gold in the Men’s Greco-Roman 96 kg in 2004 and silver in 2012, is their most-successful athlete.
3 Ethiopia – 45 medals: 21 (gold) 7 silver 17 (bronze)
Since making their debut at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Ethiopia has collected 45 medals. No prizes for guessing which event has provided all their medals. Yes, it’s athletics.
Abebe Bikila (men’s marathon) won their first medal (gold) at the 1960 Rome Games while running barefoot, but they had the best edition in Sydney in 2000 when they picked up eight medals, including four gold.
They have produced some of the truly greats in long-distance running and Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba have both won three gold medals each while the former is also the owner of a silver medal and the latter the owner of two bronze gongs.
2. South Africa – 76 medals: 23 (gold) 26 (silver) 27 (bronze)
Despite not competing at the Olympics from 1964 until 1988 after being barred due to apartheid, South Africa sit second on the list.
The bulk of their medals came before the ban kicked in in 1964 with their best performances coming at the 1920 Antwerp and 1952 Helsinki Games as they won 10 medals at both events.
Athletics (24) has provided the bulk of their medals with boxing (19) and swimming (17) next on the list.
Charles Winslow (tennis) and Penny Heynes (swimming) are the most successful athletes having each won two gold medals and a bronze.
1 Kenya – 86 medals: 25 (gold) 32 (silver) 29 (bronze)
The East African giants is in top spot for African countries with a total of 86 medals, but they are only down in 33rd place in the overall table, which is topped by the United States with 2,406 medals.
It is no surprise that 79 of Kenya’s medals have come from middle-and long-distance events, with boxing making up the other seven.
They first made their debut in 1956, but had to wait until the 1964 Tokyo Games before picking up their first medal, a bronze through Wilson Kiprugut in the 800m.
Their first gold followed at the next edition in Mexico City with Naftali Temu (men’s 10,000m), Kipchoge Keino (men’s 1500m) and Amos Biwott (men’s 3000m steeplechase) all reaching the top step of the podium.
The 2008 Games in Beijing was their most successful as they won 14 medals (six gold) in total.
6 Morocco 22 medals (6 gold 5 silver 11 bronze),
7 Algeria 15 medals (5 gold 2 silver 8 bronze),
8 Tunisia 10 medals (3 gold 3 silver 4 bronze),
9 Zimbabwe 8 medals (3 gold 4 silver 1 bronze) and
10 Uganda 7 medals (2 gold 3 silver 2 bronze) complete the top 10.
