1965 All-Africa Games
Encyclopedia
The first All-Africa Games
were played from July 18, 1965 to July 25, 1965 in Brazzaville
, Congo.
The first game
s to open to the entire African continent occurred a full forty years after they were first intended. Pierre de Coubertin
, had proposed the first African Games be held in Algiers
, Algeria
in 1925. The games were never organized. Four years later, Alexandria
, Egypt
had almost completed preparations for the African Games of 1929 when the colonial powers stepped in to cancel the games, weeks before they were to begin. The colonizers felt the games might serve to unite Africa, and help them break free from their colonial status. The idea of a continental games languished for a time until regional games in West Africa the early sixties paved the way for the first continental games to be held in July 1965.
Foreshadowing what was to become accepted protocol at major international games, and reflecting the continents relative political instability, the Congo-Brazzaville Army was on high alert throughout the games for "malcontents" and "counter-revolutionaries". All highways in and out of Brazzaville were patrolled by armored vehicles and all cars within the city, except for games participants and journalists, were stopped and inspected at major checkpoints.
2500 athletes from 29 nations marched in to the stadium. Avery Brundage
, the IOC president attended the games as the IOC's chief observer.
The games success was due in a large part to the emerging African stars, such as Wilson Kiprugut Chuma (silver medalist in the Tokyo 800 meters), Mohammed Gammoudi
(silver medalist Tokyo, 10,000 meters), and Kip Keino, Naftali Temu
and Mamo Wolde
, who would all win medals three years later at the Mexico City Olympic Games.
Men competed in ten sports, women just two; athletics and basketball.
The top medal winning nation was the United Arab Republic, at one time a political union of Egypt and Syria.*
In addition, Senegal won both relay race
s for men (4x100 metres and 4x400 metres).
Women were only allowed to compete in 100 metres
, 80 metres hurdles
, high jump
, long jump
, javelin throw
, and 4 x 100 metres relay
.
tournament was won by the host country Congo, their only gold medal at the Games.
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 July 18, 1965 to July 25, 1965 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...
, Congo.
The first game
Game
A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements...
s to open to the entire African continent occurred a full forty years after they were first intended. Pierre de Coubertin
Pierre de Coubertin
Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin was a French educationalist and historian, founder of the International Olympic Committee, and is considered the father of the modern Olympic Games...
, had proposed the first African Games be held in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , 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...
in 1925. The games were never organized. Four years later, Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
had almost completed preparations for the African Games of 1929 when the colonial powers stepped in to cancel the games, weeks before they were to begin. The colonizers felt the games might serve to unite Africa, and help them break free from their colonial status. The idea of a continental games languished for a time until regional games in West Africa the early sixties paved the way for the first continental games to be held in July 1965.
Foreshadowing what was to become accepted protocol at major international games, and reflecting the continents relative political instability, the Congo-Brazzaville Army was on high alert throughout the games for "malcontents" and "counter-revolutionaries". All highways in and out of Brazzaville were patrolled by armored vehicles and all cars within the city, except for games participants and journalists, were stopped and inspected at major checkpoints.
2500 athletes from 29 nations marched in to the stadium. Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage was an American amateur athlete, sports official, art collector, and philanthropist. Brundage competed in the 1912 Olympics and was the US national all-around athlete in 1914, 1916 and 1918...
, the IOC president attended the games as the IOC's chief observer.
The games success was due in a large part to the emerging African stars, such as Wilson Kiprugut Chuma (silver medalist in the Tokyo 800 meters), Mohammed Gammoudi
Mohammed Gammoudi
Mohammed Tlili ben Abdallah , also known as Mohamed Gammoudi, is a former Tunisian athlete, and winner of 5000 metres at the 1968 Summer Olympics....
(silver medalist Tokyo, 10,000 meters), and Kip Keino, Naftali Temu
Naftali Temu
Naftali Temu was a Kenyan athlete, who won the 10.000 metres at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.-Early career:Born in Nyamira District, Naftali Temu started running at the age of 14...
and Mamo Wolde
Mamo Wolde
Degaga Wolde was an Ethiopian long distance track and road running athlete and was winner of the marathon at the 1968 Summer Olympics....
, who would all win medals three years later at the Mexico City Olympic Games.
Men competed in ten sports, women just two; athletics and basketball.
The top medal winning nation was the United Arab Republic, at one time a political union of Egypt and Syria.*
- (It is not yet known if any athletes from Syria competed or won medals in the African Games)
Medal table
| 1 |  United Arab Republic |
17 | 10 | 3 | 30 |
| 2 |  Nigeria |
9 | 6 | 4 | 19 |
| 3 |  Kenya |
8 | 11 | 4 | 23 |
| 4 |  Senegal |
6 | 3 | 7 | 16 |
| 5 |  Côte d'Ivoire |
5 | 2 | 5 | 12 |
| 6 |  Algeria |
2 | 3 | 6 | 11 |
| 6 |  Ghana |
2 | 3 | 6 | 11 |
| 8 |  Mali |
2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 9 |  Tunisia |
1 | 5 | 6 | 12 |
| 10 |  Cameroon |
1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 10 |  Republic of the Congo |
1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 12 |  Madagascar |
0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 13 |  Uganda |
0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 14 |  Republic of Upper Volta |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 15 |  Chad |
0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 16 |  Gabon |
0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 17 |  Togo |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Ethiopia |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Niger |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Tanzania |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Zambia |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 54 | 52 | 67 | 176 |
Athletics
Several athletes, all male, won more than one event:- Gaoussou KonéGaoussou KonéGaoussou Koné is a former sprinter from Côte d'Ivoire, who represented his native West African country at three consecutive Summer Olympics: 1964, 1968 and 1972. He is best known for winning two gold medals at the 1965 All-Africa Games.-References:*...
, Côte d'Ivoire (100 metres and 200 metres) - Wilson KiprugutWilson KiprugutWilson Kiprugut Chuma is a Kenyan former athlete who competed mainly in the 800 metres.He competed at the 1962 Commonwealth Games and was part of the Kenyan 4 x 440 yards relay team which finished fifth. Other members of the relay team were Kimaru Songok, Peter Francis and Seraphino Antao...
, Kenya (400 metres and 800 metres) - Kipchoge KeinoKipchoge KeinoKipchoge Keino , chairman of the Kenyan Olympic Committee , is a retired Kenyan track and field athlete and two-time Olympic gold medalist...
, Kenya (1500 metres and 5000 metres) - Samuel IgunSamuel IgunSamuel Igun is a retired Olympic athlete from Nigeria. He specialised in the triple jump, high jump and long jump events during his career....
, Nigeria (high jump and triple jump)
In addition, Senegal won both relay race
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
s for men (4x100 metres and 4x400 metres).
Women were only allowed to compete in 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
, 80 metres hurdles
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
, high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
, long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
, javelin throw
Javelin throw
The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
, and 4 x 100 metres relay
4 x 100 metres relay
The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race...
.
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 Congo, their only gold medal at the Games.
| Gold: | Silver: | Bronze: |
Coach: |
Coach: |
Coach: |