Just three African nations, South Africa, Tunisia and Egypt, currently feature on the Paris Olympic medal table but that’s all set to change as track action gets under way in the French capital on Friday.
The first rounds of the men’s 1 500m and women’s 100, 800m and 5 000m will see numerous African stars in action with one medal event scheduled for the evening session.
That is the men’s 10 000m final where Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega will be looking to successfully defend the title he won in Tokyo three years ago.
In winning gold, Barega continued a fine legacy of Ethiopian champions in the event, which has been won by the East African nation on five occasions before Barega’s gold, starting with Miruts Yifter in 1980, then the great Haile Gebrselassie in 1996 and 2000 and then Kenenisa Bekele in 2004 and 2008.
“I often watched Kenenisa Bekele’s competitions. I still enjoy watching videos of his competitions. I admire him very much, the way he did the last kick. And I wish to be like him,” Barega told SuperSport last month.
“I watch Haile Gebrselassie's races as well, for how to use the right tactics in a race, how to read and run a race, so I watch them on video.”
Barega has run the third fastest 10 000m time in the world this year behind the two other Ethiopians who will be joining him in Friday’s final – Yomif Kejelcha and Berihu Aregawi.
It’s been 88 years since a single country claimed a clean sweep of the 10 000m medals at the Olympics Games, Finland the last nation to achieve that feat in 1936. But the Ethiopians will be hoping to do just that.
“We athletes in the world know each other, we know each other here,” explained Barega.
“And if we work together and calculate how we can beat others, there is no reason why we can't win… I think we have a good chance to win.
“God willing, I want to defend my title in Paris.”
CHEPTEGEI GUNNING FOR GOLD
Also gunning for gold at the Stade de France track on Friday will be Uganda’s world record-holder Joshua Cheptegei who is making his debut over 10 000m this season.
He has won three world titles at this distance but never an Olympic gold, having to settle for silver behind Barega in Tokyo. He did take gold in the 5 000m at those Games, however.
Cheptegei will be joined by compatriots Martin Kiprotich and Tokyo bronze medallist Jacob Kiplimo while the Kenyan threat will come from Nicholas Kipkorir, Daniel Mateiko and Benard Kibet.
Kenya finished third on the athletics table at the last Games in Tokyo with four golds, four silvers and two bronze medals.
Uganda were ninth with two golds, one silver and one bronze, followed by Ethiopia in 14th, Morocco in joint 18th, Namibia in 31st spot and Botswana, Burkina Faso and Nigeria in joint 36th with one bronze medal each.
Meanwhile, Thursday saw the 20km walk taking place in steamy conditions with Ethiopia’s Misgana Wakuma setting a new national record of 1 hour 19.31.
The 20-year-old finished in sixth place, just 36 seconds behind gold medallist Brian Pintado of Ecuador.