African Athletes Shine at the 2024 Paralympic Games: Final Medal Tally

The 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris ended on a high note, with a rain-soaked closing ceremony that celebrated the athletes’ achievements with electrifying French electronic dance music and vibrant performances.

More than 4,400 athletes from 168 countries took part in this years games, pushing the boundaries of human determination and setting new records. African athletes played a prominent role in these historic Games, excelling across various sports and achieving extraordinary results.

The final day of the Games was particularly memorable for Africa, as two world records were broken by Moroccan marathoner Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi and Nigerian para-powerlifter Folashade Oluwafemiayo.

These feats capped off a successful tournament for African nations, many of which improved upon their performances from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

Morocco Takes the Lead in Africa’s Medal Count

Morocco emerged as the standout African nation at the 2024 Paralympic Games, topping the continent’s medal tally with an impressive haul of 15 medals. This was four more than the nation had won at the Tokyo Games, marking a significant improvement. Moroccan athletes demonstrated their dominance across multiple disciplines, including athletics and taekwondo.

The crowning moment for Morocco came when Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi shattered the world record in the women’s marathon (T12 category) on the final day of competition. Her achievement added a final flourish to Morocco’s campaign, which also saw gold medals won by Mouncef Bouja in the 400m (T12 category) and Aymane El Haddaoui in the 400m (T47 category). 

In total, Morocco secured three golds, six silvers, and six bronze medals, showcasing the depth of their Paralympic talent.

Moroccan athletes were also successful in the field events, with Azzedine Nouirir and Zakariae Derhem both winning medals in shot put, and Youssra Karimi securing silver in the discus throw (F41). This broad success across different events confirmed Morocco’s growing strength in the Paralympic sphere.

Algeria and Tunisia Share the Spotlight

Close on Morocco’s heels were Algeria and Tunisia, each bringing home 11 medals, making them tied for second place among African nations. Algeria’s athletes had a particularly strong showing in athletics and para-judo.

Skander Athmani was one of Algeria’s top performers, securing two gold medals in the 100m and 400m (T13 category). Nassima Saifi added another gold in the discus throw (F57), and Abdelkader Bouamer triumphed in para-judo (-60kg J1).

Algeria’s six gold medals were among the most by any African nation, though they fell just short of matching their 2020 medal count, earning one less than in Tokyo.

 

Tunisia’s performance was equally noteworthy. The North African nation secured five gold medals, with Raoua Tlili once again proving to be a dominant force in the shot put and discus throw (F41 category), where she claimed two golds.

Maroua Ibrahmi also made headlines with her gold in the club throw (F32), continuing Tunisia’s proud tradition in athletics. The Tunisian team maintained their total medal count from Tokyo, with 11 medals, affirming their consistency on the world stage.

Nigeria and Egypt: Powerhouses in Powerlifting

Nigeria and Egypt tied for third place in the African medal standings, each securing seven medals. Both nations demonstrated their prowess in powerlifting, a sport where they have historically excelled.

For Nigeria, Folashade Oluwafemiayo was the standout performer, breaking her own world record in para-powerlifting, cementing her status as one of the sport’s greats. She took home gold alongside Onyinyechi Mark, who also won gold in powerlifting.

Nigeria’s athletes brought home five medals in powerlifting, with other notable performances from Esther Nworgu and Bose Omolayo, who both earned silver. However, Nigeria’s total of seven medals marked a slight decline from their performance in Tokyo, where they had won 10 medals.

Egypt, too, saw success on the powerlifting stage. Mohamed Elmenyawy and Rehab Ahmed both claimed gold in powerlifting, while the country’s sitting volleyball team took home bronze in a spirited campaign.

Egypt matched its Tokyo performance with seven medals, maintaining its status as a Paralympic powerhouse in Africa.

South Africa: Breaking Records and Making History

South Africa’s six-medal haul at the 2024 Games included two gold medals and two new world records, solidifying its position as one of Africa’s leading Paralympic nations.

Mpumelelo Mhlongo was the star for South Africa, breaking world records in both the long jump and the 200m (T44 category) while securing gold in the men’s 100m (T44). His performances were among the highlights of the entire Games.

Simone Kruger added to South Africa’s medal tally with gold in the discus throw (F38), an event where she had finished fifth in Tokyo. This time, she not only claimed gold but also set a new Paralympic record with a throw of 38.7 meters.

South Africa also made history in wheelchair tennis, with Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole winning Africa’s first-ever Paralympic medal in the sport, bringing home bronze.

Ethiopia, Namibia, Kenya, and Mauritius: Punching Above Their Weight

Ethiopia saw its athletes perform admirably, securing two gold medals and one silver, with Yayesh Tesfaw breaking a world record in the women’s 1,500m (T11 category).

This marked a significant improvement from the Tokyo Games, where Ethiopia won only one medal. Ethiopia’s growing presence in athletics is an encouraging sign for future Paralympics.

Namibia’s team mirrored their performance from Tokyo, taking home two medals. Lahja Ishitile was the standout for the Namibian delegation, winning gold in the 400m (T11) and bronze in the 200m (T11). These performances reflect Namibia’s consistency in track events at the Paralympic Games.

Kenya and Mauritius each took home one medal, with Samson Opiyo winning bronze in the long jump (T37) for Kenya, and Yovanni Philippe making history for Mauritius by winning the nation’s first-ever Paralympic medal, a bronze in the 400m (T20). These smaller delegations continue to showcase the growing diversity of African talent on the Paralympic stage.

The 2024 Paralympic Games were a triumph for African athletes, who broke records, made history, and showed the world their incredible talents. From Morocco’s dominance to South Africa’s record-breaking achievements, and the inspiring stories of athletes from smaller nations like Mauritius, Africa’s presence at the Games was stronger than ever.

As the Paralympic flame was extinguished in Paris, African athletes left with not only medals but with the pride of having represented their countries on the world’s biggest stage for para-athletes.

To stay updated on all things Paralympics, from in-depth athlete profiles to event recaps and breaking news, download the Podium Pursuit app. Whether you’re a passionate follower of the Games or simply curious about the extraordinary feats of para-athletes, the app offers a comprehensive hub for Paralympic sports. 

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