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A number of young African athletes enjoyed a remarkable 2024 track and field season, showcasing the continent’s best talents but who impressed the most?
The year 2024 has witnessed an emergence of new stars while some who were beginning to rise took their athletics careers to a whole new level.
Among them were a number of African athletes who proved that the continent has talent to rub shoulders with the very best in the world.
From Botswana’s sprint sensation Letsile Tebogo to Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi, African youngsters made waves in 2024 and more will be expected from them in 2025.
Pulse Sports highlights the five African youngsters who lit up the 2024 track season.
Letsile Tebogo
Botswana’s sprit sensation Letsile Tebogo has had an amazing season that started with a world record in 300m before culminating in Olympics gold over 200m, the first-ever for Africa.
He anchored his country to Olympics silver in 4x400m relay before going on to claim four Diamond League wins although he came short in the final where he finished second.
The 21-year-old showed great promise in 2023 with silver and bronze at the World Championships but finishes 2024 as a superstar, even admitting that he is not a free man in his country anymore thanks to his newfound fame and fortune.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi
Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi has proved once again that it was not all hype but he meant business following a highly successful 2024 season.
Like Tebogo, Wanyonyi announced himself on the global platform at the 2023 World Championships but ends 2024 as Olympics champion, Diamond League winner and the joint second fastest runner in history in 800m.
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise and shown lots of maturity at such a young age in the way he executed his strategy to outwit his rivals, especially at the Olympics and Diamond League final.
Faith Cherotich
Another Kenyan rising star is 20-year-old Faith Cherotich who bagged bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics in 3,000m steeplechase.
Cherotich has looked unfazed by the tough competition in the steeplechase, flooring her rivals with ease, and put the icing on the cake when she outwitted Winfred Yavi to win the Diamond League title in Brussels in September.
With world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech struggling in recent years, Cherotich looks like the woman to take over and at 20, Kenyans have a reason to be optimistic.
Muzala Samukonga
Zambian sprinter Muzala Samukonga was another name who lit up the 2024 campaign following his historic bronze medal in 400m at the Paris Olympics.
It was Zambia’s first-ever Olympics medal in 28 years as he came home behind Americans Quincy Hall and Matthew Hudson-Smith in a time of 43.74 seconds, a new national record.
The 21-year-old finished third at the Diamond League final and his performances have brought pride and inspiration to Zambia as well as earning him an invitation to the money-spinning Grand Slam Track that will start next year.
Bayanda Walaza
Still only 18, South Africa’s Bayanda Walaza has already made history as he became the first athlete from his country to win an Olympics medal while still in high school.
Walaza was part of the South Africa quartet that won Olympics silver in 4x100m relay alongside Shaun Maswanganyi, Bradley Nkoana and Akani Simbine.
He was on the first leg of the race and showed great character and determination, contributing greatly to one of his country’s two Olympics silver medals from track and field.
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