It is an event for Nigerien athletics: Aminatou Seyni won the silver medal in the 100 meters behind the Gambian Gina Bass, this June 9, 2022 in Côte d’Or (Mauritius), at the African Championships. In heptathlon, the Beninese Odile Ahouanwanou retained her title, four years after the Asaba 2018 edition.
This June 9, 2022 is a day to mark a milestone for Nigerien athletics: Aminatou Seyni won a silver medal in the African Championships. The Nigerian indeed finished second in the 100 meters final in 11.09 seconds behind Gambian Gina Bass (11.06) but ahead of South African Carina Horn (11.14).
Very rare are Niger’s podiums in major athletics competitions. A good result in any case for the one who had to give up the 400 meters, her favorite discipline, because of the regulations of World Athletics on hyperandrogenism.
Odile Ahouanwanou, four years later
Odile Ahouanwanou, she managed to retain her crown in heptathlon, four years after the previous African Championships, organized in Asaba in 2018. Too strong for the competition, with 5756 points, the Beninese beat the South African Shannon Verster (5329) and Tunisian Choundi Nada (5117).
In women again, Kenyan double over 1,500 meters with first place for Winny Chebet (4 minutes, 16 seconds and 10 hundredths) and second for Purity Chepkirui (4:16.28). Ethiopia’s Ayal Dagnachew (4:16.45) is third.
Over 5,000 meters, Dagnachew’s compatriot, Fantaye Belayneh (15 minutes, 1 second and 89 hundredths), second, slipped between the Kenyans Beatrice Chebet (15:00.82) and Caroline Nyaga (15:05.34).
In the high jump, Ghanaian Rose Yeboah took gold (1.79m) ahead of Nigerian Temitope Adeshina and South African Yvonne Robson.
Also note the 4th and therefore frustrating place of Marthe Koala on 100 meters hurdles. With a time of 12 seconds 99, the Burkinabè therefore finished at the foot of a podium, the highest step of which was unsurprisingly occupied by the Nigerian Tobi Amusan (12.57).
Ferdinand Omanyala, in one breath
The event of the day, however, was the final of the men’s 100 meters with the long-awaited duel between Ferdinand Omanyala, African record holder in the distance, and Akani Simbine, one of the sure values of the continental sprint. The Kenyan and the South African, who ran in 9 seconds 93, were separated at the photo finish. Panting.
Other emotional moments: Amine Bouanani’s victory over 110m hurdles. The Algerian, with a time of 13 seconds 26, offered his country the first medal at Côte d’Or 2022. A competition in Mauritius which may have found its local hero: the Mauritian Jérémie Lararaudeuse s took silver with a time of 13.55.
In the long jump, the Senegalese Amath Faye (7.70m) was satisfied with bronze behind the Batswana Thalosang Tshireletso (7.78) and the South African Cheswill Johnson (7.82).
Finally, in discus throwing, the South African Werner Visser (61.80 meters) was clearly better than another South African, Victor Hogan (53.91), and the Namibian Ryan Williams (54.23).