Five African Highlights from the First Week of Paris Olympics

The headlines haven’t stopped pouring in since the summer Olympics in Paris officially opened a week ago. It’s expected, after all it’s the biggest sporting event in the world. In that time, American gymnast Simone Biles added to her Olympic gold medals haul, two viral athletes made shooting the coolest sport for a few days, and more invigorating moments have made the games a treat to follow.

Amongst the highlights in the first week are some amazing feats by African athletes and teams. Here are five of them:

South Africa wins first African team medal

For the first time, rugby sevens commenced a few days before the opening ceremony, making it one of the first events to produce medal winners. South Africa, the only African team to qualify in both the men’s and women’s event, earned the men’s rugby sevens bronze medal. After qualifying as one of the two best third-place teams, the Blitzboks won New Zealand in the quarter-finals and bounced back from a semi-final loss against France to beat Australia in the bronze medal match. It was the first medal by an African team.

Fares Ferjani wins silver in fencing

In one of the Olympics’ most remarkable upsets yet, Tunisian fencer Fares Ferjani defeated world number one, Egypt’s Ziad Elsissy, in the semi-final of the men’s individual sabre event. The 13th-seeded Ferjani went on to claim silver, after losing in the final to South Korea’s Oh Sanguk. In other related fencing news, Egypt’s Mohamed El-Sayed won bronze in the men’s individual épée event.

Barbara Banda’s historic hat-trick

After becoming the first woman to score back-to-back hat-tricks in Olympics football, the Zambian forward made more history with a third Olympic hat-trick in her team’s 6-5 loss against Australia. Described as “the most in-form striker in world football,” Banda scored the majority of her team’s goals, including Zambia’s only goal in a 4-1 loss against Germany in the group stage. Zambia’s 0-3 record in the preliminary stage is similar to that of the other African team in women’s football, Nigeria, who were far less successful in terms of goalscoring, as they scored only once in three losses.

African basketball teams start on strong footing

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s women’s basketball team is having a much more inspiring outing at the Olympics, despite disrespect and gross negligence from Nigeria’s sports administration. In their first preliminary stage match, D’Tigress won 75-62 against Australia, the third-ranked women’s basketball team in the world. It was the first Olympic basketball win for a women’s African team in 28 years. Although they lost 75-54 against the host nation France in their second match, the Nigerian team has a chance to qualify for the quarter-finals with a win against Canada this weekend, or as one of the best third-placed teams.

Over in men’s basketball, South Sudan are in a similar position after losing their second preliminary round game, 103-86, against the U.S. The burgeoning and tenacious team kicked off their Olympic campaign with a 90-79 win over Puerto Rico, the first Olympic basketball win for a men’s African team in 20 years. The Bright Stars play Serbia this weekend, and can move on to the knockout round either with an outright win or as one of two third-placed teams.

Tatjana Smith bows out on a splendid high

Earlier in the week, South African swimmer Tatjana Smith became the first African athlete at this Olympics to win a gold medal. Smith won the women’s 100m breaststroke event, which she also picked up the silver medal for in the Tokyo 2020 games. However, she narrowly missed out on a historic double, winning silver in the women’s 200m breaststroke just days later. Smith is now the joint greatest Olympian in South African history, her four total medals equal Chad le Clos’ record-setting tally.

Shortly after her second medal win in Paris, Smith announced her retirement, no doubt leaving her competitive days as an African and global swimming icon.