The Spirit Of The Paris Olympics 2024: How Many Medals Will African Athletes Win?

The Olympics bring thousands of athletes from different nations together every four years. This year’s Summer Games are being held in Paris, inviting hundreds of competitors who proudly fly their respective countries' national flags to compete against the best athletes on the planet on the grandest stage possible. The sports media reports that 206 countries will send delegations to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, however not all of the world's nations will be represented.

As usual, the United States has sent a sizable delegation of athletes aiming to sweep home the most medals. However, other athletes, particularly those from Africa, want to make a big impression at the Olympics in Paris, to lift the image of their countries' reputations, making the event both competitive and exciting. Even though in international sports, many undervalue African athletes, yet, still, it’s a mistake to underestimate the Africans, since the Kenyans continue to win gold in long distances.

Ghana, together with other African nations, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Tunisia, Togo, Tanzania, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Rwanda, Niger, Nigeria, Namibia, Mozambique, Morocco, Mali, Malawi, Madagascar, Libya, Liberia, Lesotho, Kenya, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Gambia, Gabon, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Eritrea, Equatorial – Guinea, Djibouti, Chad, Central African Republic, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Burundi, Botswana, Benin, Angola, and Algeria, made themselves available for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Athletes will be participating in artistic gymnastics, artistic swimming, athletics, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, boxing, breaking, canoe slalom, canoe sprint, cycling, diving, fencing, equestrian, football, golf, handball, hockey, judo, hockey, marathon swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, table tennis, taekwondo, weightlifting, trampoline, water polo, and wrestling.

The table below reveals the number of medals African countries have won in previous games.

This year’s Olympics begin with break-dancing. Undoubtedly, the challenging economic conditions faced by most African nations deprive athletes of optimal facilities for preparation, and more significantly, the frigid temperatures in the host nations are incomparable to those in sub-Saharan Africa. However, since they are motivated to compete, let's hope they can alter the world's opinion of Africa after the Olympics in Paris by winning additional gold.