Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, and Nigeria emerged as frontrunners on the medal log among African Paralympic contingents.
By Tuka Letura
The 2024 Paris Paralympics was big for a handful of African athletes, who excelled with remarkable and historic performances. Pushing the limits of their abilities, these athletes secured a significant haul of medals, creating unforgettable moments for themselves, their nations, and the continent. Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, and Nigeria emerged as frontrunners on the medal log among the African contingents, showcasing the strength and talent of the continent’s Paralympic athletes.
Algeria
Algeria dominated Africa’s Paralympic standings with an outstanding performance, securing a total of 11 medals—6 gold and 5 bronze—topping the rankings among African teams. Nassima Saifi of Team Algeria clinched gold in the Women’s Discus Throw F57 and added a bronze in the Shot Put F57. Meanwhile, Skander Djamil Athmani delivered a stellar performance, winning two gold medals in the Men’s 100m and 400m T13 events.
Brahim Guendouz made history on the penultimate day of the games as the first African Paralympic medallist in paracanoeing, securing gold in the Men’s 200m KL3 event. In judo, Abdelkader Bouamer claimed gold in the Men’s 60kg J1 category, while Ishak Ouldkouider earned bronze in the Men’s 60kg J2 category. Powerlifter Hocine Bettir contributed to Algeria’s success with a bronze medal in the Men’s 65kg category, rounding out the country’s remarkable performance at the Games.
Tunisia
Tunisia once again delivered a strong performance at the Paralympics, securing 11 medals, including 5 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze, predominantly in athletics. Raoua Tlili continued her dominance by winning gold in both the Women’s Shot Put F41 and Women’s Discus Throw F41, marking her fifth consecutive gold in shot put and third straight Games victory in the discus.
Tlili’s throw of 10.40 meters in the shot put F41 class not only secured her fifth gold but also solidified her legacy as one of Tunisia’s—and Africa’s—greatest Paralympians.
Maroua Brahmi also bolstered Tunisia’s gold tally, winning the Women’s Club Throw F32, while Amen Allah Tissaoui and Wajdi Boukhili clinched gold in the Men’s 1500m T38 and Men’s Marathon T12, respectively.
Silver medallists Rouay Jebabli (Men’s 1500m T13) and Walid Ktila (Men’s 100m T34) were pivotal to Tunisia’s overall success. Jebabli further showcased his versatility by adding a bronze in the Men’s 400m T12, while Tissaoui earned another bronze in the Men’s 400m T37. Raja Jebali completed Tunisia’s impressive haul with a bronze in the Women’s Shot Put F40.
Morocco
Morocco had an outstanding Paralympic campaign, finishing with the highest total medal count among African nations—15 medals in total, consisting of 3 gold, 6 silver, and 6 bronze. Although Morocco didn’t top Africa’s gold medal table, falling behind Algeria and Tunisia, its athletes delivered remarkable performances.
Fatima Zahra Idrissi set a new world record in the T12 marathon, winning gold, and added a silver in the 1500m T13 race. Ayman El Hadawi also stood out, securing gold in the 400m T47 race with a world record, and further claimed bronze in the 100m T47 event. Moncef Bouja contributed to Morocco’s gold count by winning the 400m T12 race.
Morocco’s silver medallists, including Mariam Nougi, Yousra Karim, Abdelilah Kani, Ayoub Sadni, and Azeddine Nouiri, delivered impressive performances across various track and field events. The team’s bronze medal tally was equally remarkable, with Saida Amoudi, Rajae Agramach, Ayoub Edouich, Zakaria Derhem, and El Amine Chentouf contributing to Morocco’s successful campaign, rounding out the nation’s medal haul.
Nigeria
Team Nigeria concluded their Paris 2024 Paralympics campaign with a total of seven medals—two gold, three silver, and two bronze—finishing 40th overall in the medal standings and fourth among African contingents at the Games.
Powerlifter and team captain, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, was one of the standout athletes, breaking her own world record by lifting 166kg in the Women’s Over 86kg para-powerlifting event to claim a gold medal. Having also won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games, Folashade has now secured back-to-back Paralympic and World Championship titles. Onyinyechi Mark added the second gold for Nigeria in the Women’s 61kg para-powerlifting event with a lift of 150kg.
Other medalists included Isau Ogunkunle, who earned bronze in the Men’s Singles Class 4 para-table tennis, and Bose Omolayo, who won silver in the Women’s 79kg para-powerlifting event with a lift of 145kg. Flora Ugwunwa contributed a silver medal in the Women’s Javelin F54 event, while Esther Nworgu and Ogunkunle added to the silver and bronze tally.
Egypt
Egypt’s delegation delivered a total of seven medals—two gold, two silver, and three bronze. With this, Egypt’s total medal count since their debut at the Paralympic Games in 1972 increased to 191.
Powerlifting was Egypt’s strongest sport, with Mohamed El Miniawy earning the nation’s first gold in the Men’s 59kg category in his Paralympic debut. Rehab Radwan followed up with a gold in the Women’s 55kg para-powerlifting, her first Paralympic gold after previously securing silver in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
Silver medals were added by Mohamed Sobhy, who lifted 224kg in the Men’s 88kg para-powerlifting, and Fatma Mahrous, who set a new Paralympic record in the Women’s 67kg category with a 139kg lift. The bronze medal tally was boosted by Safaa Hassan in the Women’s 79kg event and Nadia Fekry in the Women’s 86kg category, with Fekry celebrating her fourth Paralympic medal, marking an incredible 24-year career. Egypt’s National Sitting Volleyball team, also African champions, secured bronze after defeating Germany in the bronze medal match.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia made quite a statement at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, winning two gold medals and one silver, which account for half of their all-time Paralympic medal count, now standing at six.
Tigist Gezahagn Menigstu led the charge by winning Ethiopia’s first gold medal in the Women’s 1500m T13 event on 31 August. Yayesh Gate Tesfaw followed closely, capturing another gold for Ethiopia in the Women’s 1500m T11 race on 2 September, reinforcing the country’s competitiveness in visually impaired running categories.
Yitayal Silesh Yigzaw added to the nation’s success by securing a silver medal in the Men’s 1500m T11 event on 3 September. His strong performance further elevated Ethiopia’s standing in the competition, earning the country’s first-ever silver Paralympic medal.
South Africa
Team South Africa returned from the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games with a total of six medals, their lowest haul to date. This placed the nation 46th on the medals table, far behind China, which topped the standings with an overwhelming 220 medals. The six-medal count in Paris falls just short of the seven medals secured at the Tokyo Paralympics.
Gold medals were claimed by Mpumelelo Mhlongo in the Men’s T44 100m, which he won with an impressive time of 11.12 seconds, and Simoné Kruger in the Women’s T38 discus, where she set a new world record with a throw of 38.7m. Mhlongo also secured a bronze medal in the Men’s T64 200m, breaking the T44 world record with a time of 22.62 seconds.
The other bronze medals came from Pieter du Preez in the H1 individual time trial, Louzanne Coetzee in the Women’s T11 1500m, and Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole in the quad wheelchair tennis doubles.
Namibia
Namibia’s performance at the 2024 Paris Paralympics was highlighted by the incredible achievements of Lahja Ishitile, who secured both of the nation’s medals. Competing in the T11 category for athletes with visual impairments, Ishitile, alongside her guide Sem Shimanda, made a significant impact.
Ishitile claimed Namibia’s first gold medal of the Games in the Women’s 400m T11 final. She followed this up with a bronze in the Women’s 200m T11 final. These accomplishments are significant not only for Ishitile personally but also for Namibia, as they highlight the nation’s continued presence on the Paralympic stage.
Kenya
Kenya’s standout performance at the 2024 Paris Paralympics came from Samson Opiyo, who won a silver medal in the Men’s Long Jump T37 event. With an impressive final jump of 6.20 metres, Opiyo secured 2nd place, bringing home Kenya’s only medal of the Games.
Mauritius made Olympic history when Bruno Julie won the island nation’s first-ever medal in boxing at the 2008 Olympics, a monumental moment for the country. Now, at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Yovanni Philippe continues that legacy by securing Mauritius’ second-ever Paralympic medal. Philippe earned a bronze in the Men’s 400m T20 event, marking his second Paralympic medal and solidifying his status as one of Mauritius’ top athletes. His success adds to the island’s growing presence on the global sports stage, following in the footsteps of Bruno Julie’s historic win and showcasing the country’s sporting potential.
Though several African nations celebrated podium finishes at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, others left without medals despite giving it their all. Countries like Ghana, Uganda, and Zimbabwe competed across various sports but couldn’t manage to secure a medal this time around.
While these nations didn’t clinch any medals, the experience gained in Paris is invaluable. Many athletes are now set to improve further in the World Championships and the 2028 Paralympic Games.
Tuka Letura is an experienced sports writer with over five years of experience in the craft. He uses data and statistics to provide analysis and commentary. From regional to worldwide competitions, he has covered a wide range of sports-related events and topics. He is devoted to sharing his enthusiasm for sports with his audience and engaging them with interesting anecdotes and viewpoints.