Africa's top athletes gear up for Tokyo success. From sprint legends to long-distance stars, our detailed preview highlights the continent's medal hopefuls.
As the World Athletics Championships begin in Tokyo from September 13 to 21, over 2,200 athletes are registered to compete in 202 events.
Among them, Africa’s brightest stars will take center stage in the pursuit of glory. From sprinting powerhouses to distance legends, BBC Sport Africa spotlights the continent’s elite contenders ready to shape the championships.
Letsile Tebogo (Botswana, 100m & 200m) has become a global phenomenon following his Olympic 200m triumph. Despite battling a nagging hamstring injury this season, the 22-year-old showed resilience with a narrow 0.02-second defeat to Noah Lyles in Zurich.
Having already earned world silver in the 200m and bronze in the 100m in Budapest, Tebogo is out to prove that his best is yet to come.
Akani Simbine (South Africa) leads a 49-strong South African squad aiming to end the nation’s four-championship medal drought. The sprint veteran has enjoyed an impressive 2024 Diamond League campaign, starting the season with three straight 100m victories.
Faith Kipyegon (Kenya, 1500m & 5000m), widely regarded as one of athletics’ greatest, enters Tokyo chasing more history. At 31, she already owns three Olympic 1500m titles and four world crowns.
This year, she reset her own world record in the 1500m and now aims to defend both the 1500m and 5000m titles—a feat that no athlete has ever achieved before.
Prudence Sekgodiso from South Africa, the reigning World Indoor champion in the 800m, is pursuing one of the sport’s toughest challenges: breaking Jarmila Kratochvilova’s 1983 record of 1:53.28. At 23 years old, she views this challenge as a long-term goal but arrives in Tokyo as a serious medal contender.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi from Kenya, the Olympic champion and current world leader in the 800m with a time of 1:41.44, continues Kenya’s rich tradition in middle-distance running. At just 21 years old, his rapid ascent marks him as one of the key athletes to watch.
Beatrice Chebet (Kenya, 5000m & 10,000m) etched her name in history last year with Olympic gold in both events and world records in both disciplines.
She became the first woman to dip under 14 minutes in the 5000m, yet a World Championship gold still eludes her. She will battle Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, the 10,000m champion and former 5000m record holder.
Hugues Fabrice Zango (Burkina Faso, Triple Jump) continues to carry his nation’s hopes. After winning Burkina Faso’s first Olympic medal in 2020, he claimed world gold in Budapest, though a fifth-place finish in Paris was a setback. At 32, with whispers of retirement, Tokyo could be his last stand at the global stage.
Soufiane El Bakkali (Morocco, 3000m steeplechase) has broken Kenya’s stranglehold in the event with Olympic and world titles. His season-best 8:00.77 makes him the man to beat, though Ethiopian record holder Lamecha Girma remains a formidable rival after his heartbreak in Paris.
Tadese Takele (Ethiopia) heads into Tokyo with the fastest marathon time of the year (2:03:23), while compatriot Amane Beriso Shankule looks to defend her world crown. Uganda’s Victor Kiplangat, the reigning men’s champion, has raced sparingly but aims to extend his legacy.
Also in the spotlight is Mary Moraa (Kenya, 800m), who seeks to defend her Budapest world title despite an inconsistent season.
Africa’s presence spans every corner of the championships—from sprint explosiveness to the stamina of marathon excellence. With 147 medals up for grabs across 49 events, the continent’s athletes carry both individual ambition and national pride into Tokyo’s electric stage.
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