Team Kenya has topped the medal standings for a second consecutive time at the Africa Senior Athletics Championships in Mauritius on Sunday.
The Kenyans won 23 medals, out of which 10 were gold, to finish ahead of South Africa, who finished with 36 medals overall, falling short of Kenya by one gold medal.
Javelin star Julius Yego secured a historic fourth straight title in a row after defeating old rival Ihab Addelrahman of Egypt. Yego, the 2015 World Champion, said the victory had given him the confidence to perform at the upcoming global championships in America. The last two years had been challenging for him due to an injury, and he had even contemplated retiring but is now confident to give his best.
Nigeria and Algeria stood in third and fourth position respectively with five gold medals each while the fifth and sixth position was claimed by Ethiopia and Botswana with four golds apiece.
25-year-old Niger’s Aminatou Seyni created history in the women’s 200m by winning the country’s first gold medal when she beat American Allyson Felix in Ostrava in 23.04 seconds. No Nigerien had ever won a gold medal at the African Athletics Championships, and even though the rain made it difficult for Seyni, she gave it all out there.
