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Meet African track and field stars selected as flagbearers for the opening ceremony of Paris 2024 Olympics.
As customary, the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics is filled with thrills and colourful displays of different cultures as each country's team is led into the event space by a flagbearer. Among African countries, Tobi Amusan, Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith, and more will do this honour with pride.
The flagbearer can be an athlete or delegation representative bearing his or her country's flag, portraying the rest of the team with pride as they gun for a successful Olympic outing.
While the flagbearer can be chosen from any sport, here are those selected in track and field for their various countries.
Tobi Amusan (NIGERIA)
The women's 100mH World Record (WR) holder is the pride of Nigeria Athletics and will be making her third consecutive Olympic appearance in Paris.
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She's one of the country's medal hopefuls and it's her first time being selected as a flagbearer.
Akani Simine (SOUTH AFRICA)
A loyal servant of South African athletics, the legendary speedster is highly regarded as one of the greatest sprinters in history, having gone sub-10s for the past 10 years.
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Simbine is making his third consecutive Olympic appearance, which will likely be his last, so he will aim to cap it off with a deserved medal in the men's 100m event.
Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (COTE D'IVOIRE)
Another faithful servant of athletics, the Ivorian legend is Africa's fastest and in the top 10 of the world's fastest women in history.
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At 36, the four-time world medallist will take part in her third and final Olympics. She was their flagbearer in 2021 and will be gunning to finally bring back an Olympic 100m medal for her country.
Joseph Amoah (GHANA)
He led Ghana to an Olympic qualification in the 4x100m earlier this year and won the African Games 200m title in March.
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Joseph Amoah will carry his country’s flag and hope to represent Ghana high in the 100m and 200m events.
Hugues Fabrice Zango (BURKINA FASO)
Specialises in the triple jump event. He is the world indoor record holder in the triple jump with a jump of 18.07m set in 2021 and the reigning world champion, winning the gold medal in the triple jump at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.
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Zango competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics and won the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics - the first ever Olympic medal for Burkina Faso.
Emmanuel Eseme (CAMEROON)
An African Games 100m champion, African Championships silver medallist, and World indoor finalist, Emmanuel Eseme will carry his country's flag with pride as he makes his Olympic debut in the men's 100m.
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Sefora Ada Eto (EQUATORIAL GUINEA)
She will compete in the 100m and will be her country’s only female representative.
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Tebello Ramakongoana (LESOTHO)
A 2:08:09 marathon runner at best, Ramakongoana finished fourth at last year’s World Championships in Budapest.
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He will compete in the event in Paris and be the country’s flag-bearer.
Asimenye Simwaka (MALAWI)
A legend in Malawi’s sports, Asimenye Simwaka is also a football player. She is a 2022 Commonwealth Games finalist in the 400m, a bronze medallist in the 200m at this year’s African Championships, and dropped below 23s for the first time in 22.91s.
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Dylan Sicobo (SEYCHELLES)
A sprinter, Dylan Sicobo won the 100m at the Jeux de la Francophonie in 2017, where he set his current National Record of 10.33s. Missing the 2021 and thus the Olympics, he will now become a one-time Olympian and flag-bearer.
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For more details on other world athletes chosen as flagbearers, check the post below.
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