1973 All-Africa Games
Encyclopedia
The 2nd All-Africa Games
were played from January 7, 1973 to January 18, 1973 in Lagos
, Nigeria
.
After the success of the first African Games, the organizing bodies awarded the second games to Bamako
, Mali
to be held in 1969. A military coup disrupted the plans and the organizers moved the games to Lagos
, Nigeria
to be held in 1971. The games were postponed once again and finally opened in January 1973. A torch was lit in Brazzaville
a week before the games and transported to Lagos
as a symbol of the continuity of the games.
Security again was very tight at the games. This time in response to the massacre of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympic Games
just four short months before.
Sports heroes from around the world including Abebe Bikila
, Pelé
, Muhammad Ali
, and Jesse Owens
were invited to attend the opening ceremonies.
Ben Jipcho
, Kenya
's 3000 meter silver medalist at the Munich Olympics, tied the world record in the steeplechase with a run of 8:20.8. Tanzania
's newcomer Filbert Bayi
stunned the veteran favorite Kip Keino in the 1500 meters in 3:37.18.
African nations continued to put pressure on South Africa
which was not invited to participate due to their apartheid policies.
Several women's events was added. These were 200 metres
, 400 metres
, 800 metres
, 1500 metres
, discus throw
, shot put
and 4 x 400 metres relay
.
tournament was won by the host country Nigeria.
All-Africa Games
The All-Africa Games, sometimes called the African Games or the Pan African Games, are a regional multi-sport event held every four years, organized by the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa...
were played from January 7, 1973 to January 18, 1973 in Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
After the success of the first African Games, the organizing bodies awarded the second games to Bamako
Bamako
Bamako is the capital of Mali and its largest city with a population of 1.8 million . Currently, it is estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth fastest in the world...
, Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
to be held in 1969. A military coup disrupted the plans and the organizers moved the games to Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
to be held in 1971. The games were postponed once again and finally opened in January 1973. A torch was lit in Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
a week before the games and transported to Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
as a symbol of the continuity of the games.
Security again was very tight at the games. This time in response to the massacre of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympic Games
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
just four short months before.
Sports heroes from around the world including Abebe Bikila
Abebe Bikila
Abebe Bikila was a two-time Olympic marathon champion from Ethiopia. A stadium in Addis Ababa is named in his honor.-1932–1959:...
, Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
, Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
, and Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens
James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the...
were invited to attend the opening ceremonies.
Ben Jipcho
Ben Jipcho
Ben Jipcho is a former athlete from Kenya, who won the silver medal in the 3000 meters steeplechase at the 1972 Summer Olympics, behind his teammate Kipchoge Keino.Jipcho won the 5000 meters race in the 1973 All-Africa Games...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
's 3000 meter silver medalist at the Munich Olympics, tied the world record in the steeplechase with a run of 8:20.8. Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
's newcomer Filbert Bayi
Filbert Bayi
Filbert Bayi is a former Tanzanian middle-distance runner of the 1970s who set the world records for 1500 metres in 1974 and the mile in 1975...
stunned the veteran favorite Kip Keino in the 1500 meters in 3:37.18.
African nations continued to put pressure on South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
which was not invited to participate due to their apartheid policies.
Medal table
| 1973 All-Africa Games Medal Count | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 |  Egypt |
25 | 16 | 15 | 56 |
| 2 |  Nigeria |
18 | 25 | 20 | 63 |
| 3 |  Kenya |
9 | 9 | 18 | 36 |
| 4 |  Uganda |
8 | 6 | 6 | 20 |
| 5 |  Ghana |
7 | 7 | 13 | 27 |
| 6 |  Tunisia |
4 | 6 | 3 | 13 |
| 7 |  Algeria |
4 | 5 | 13 | 22 |
| 8 |  Ethiopia |
4 | 3 | 6 | 13 |
| 9 |  Senegal |
4 | 2 | 6 | 12 |
| 10 |  Côte d'Ivoire |
2 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| 11 |  Morocco |
1 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| 12 |  Sudan |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 13 |  Guinea |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
 Mali |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
 Tanzania |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 16 |  Zambia |
1 | 0 | 6 | 7 |
| 17 |  Somalia |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 |  Madagascar |
0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 19 |  Cameroon |
0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 21 |  The Gambia |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Niger |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 23 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Swaziland |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Togo |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 92 | 92 | 126 | 310 | ||
Athletics
Only one athlete defended his title from the 1965 Games, namely Malian discus thrower Namakoro Niaré. Three athletes, one male and two female, won more than one event:- Ohene KarikariOhene KarikariOhene Karikari is a former sprinter from Ghana, who represented his native West African country at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. He is best known for winning two gold medals at the 1973 All-Africa Games in Lagos, Nigeria.-References:*...
, Ghana (100 metres and 200 metres men) - Alice AnnumAlice AnnumAlice Anum is a retired Ghanaian sprinter. Her personal best time in the 200 metres was 22.89 seconds, achieved at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.-Achievements:...
, Ghana (100 metres and 200 metres women) - Modupe OshikoyaModupe OshikoyaModupe Oshikoya is a former female track and field athlete from Nigeria, who competed in the women's sprint and long jump events during her career. She is a one-time Olympian , and also competed in the heptathlon. Oshikoya won a total number of five gold medals at the All-Africa Games...
, Nigeria (high jump, long jump and 100m hurdles)
Several women's events was added. These were 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
, 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
, 800 metres
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
, 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
, discus throw
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
, shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
and 4 x 400 metres relay
4 x 400 metres relay
The 4 x 400 meters relay or long relay is an athletics track event in which teams comprise four runners who each complete 400 meters or one lap. It is traditionally the final event of a track meet. At top class events, the first 500 meters is run in lanes...
.
- Nagui AsaadNagui AsaadNagui Asaad Youssef ناجى أسعد, , is an Egyptian athlete who represented Egypt in the international events in the 1970s and early 1980s in shot put and discus throw.-Biography:...
won his first Gold medal in Shot Put of the All Africa Games , 1973 , NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, and then he went to win a second time in 1978 , AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, He also was the Silver medallist in Discus throw of the All Africa Games , 1973
Soccer
The soccerFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
tournament was won by the host country Nigeria.
| Gold: | Silver: | Bronze: |
| Nigeria Nigeria national football team The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994... Coach: |
Guinea Guinea national football team The Guinea national football team, nicknamed Syli national , is the national team of Guinea and is controlled by the Fédération Guinéenne de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals, and their best finish in the African Nations Cup was second in the 1976... Coach: |
Republic of Egypt Coach: |