1991 All-Africa Games
Encyclopedia
The 5th All-Africa Games
were held from September 20 to October 1, 1991 in Cairo
, Egypt
. Forty-three countries participated in eighteen sports.
For the first time the Games were held on a four year cycle as planned. Egypt
had hoped to use the Games to showcase the city of Cairo
for a possible Olympic bid. The plan fell through after organizational difficulties once again plagued the Games. A stampede of spectators trying to get in to see the Opening Ceremonies got the Games off to a bad start. Many IOC officials and dignitaries were unable to make it into the stadium in the confusion and returned to their hotels to watch the ceremony on television.
African athletes had claimed seven world championships at the previous months World Athletics Championships. Only one, steeplechaser Moses Kiptanui
, decided to participate in Cairo
.
Highly partisan crowds, which were granted free admission to the events by the Egypt
ian government, filled the stadiums throughout the games, cheering the home team to another placing at the top of the medals table.
It was Namibia's first participation in the world arena. The team proudly returned with four gold medals, two silver medals and seven bronze medals.
In addition, Nigeria won three of the four relay race
s; 4x100 metres for men and women as well as women's 4x400 metres. No new events were added.
tournament was transformed to a U-23 competition. It was won by Cameroon, and it was the first Games in which the host country did not win a medal.
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 held from September 20 to October 1, 1991 in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, 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...
. Forty-three countries participated in eighteen sports.
For the first time the Games were held on a four year cycle as planned. 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 hoped to use the Games to showcase the city of Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
for a possible Olympic bid. The plan fell through after organizational difficulties once again plagued the Games. A stampede of spectators trying to get in to see the Opening Ceremonies got the Games off to a bad start. Many IOC officials and dignitaries were unable to make it into the stadium in the confusion and returned to their hotels to watch the ceremony on television.
African athletes had claimed seven world championships at the previous months World Athletics Championships. Only one, steeplechaser Moses Kiptanui
Moses Kiptanui
Moses Kiptanui is a middle and long distance athlete mostly famous for 3,000 m steeplechase in which he was the number one ranked athlete from 1991 to 1995 and three time IAAF World Champion...
, decided to participate in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
.
Highly partisan crowds, which were granted free admission to the events by the 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...
ian government, filled the stadiums throughout the games, cheering the home team to another placing at the top of the medals table.
It was Namibia's first participation in the world arena. The team proudly returned with four gold medals, two silver medals and seven bronze medals.
Medal table
| 1 |  Egypt |
90 | 53 | 52 | 195 |
| 2 |  Algeria |
49 | 36 | 34 | 119 |
| 3 |  Nigeria |
43 | 51 | 43 | 137 |
| 4 |  Kenya |
13 | 17 | 18 | 48 |
| 5 |  Zimbabwe |
8 | 3 | 13 | 24 |
| 6 |  Tunisia |
6 | 4 | 10 | 20 |
| 7 |  Côte d'Ivoire |
4 | 5 | 3 | 12 |
| 8 |  Ethiopia |
4 | 3 | 5 | 12 |
| 9 |  Namibia |
4 | 2 | 6 | 12 |
| 10 |  Senegal |
3 | 4 | 11 | 18 |
| 11 |  Ghana |
2 | 4 | 6 | 12 |
| 12 |  Angola |
2 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| 13 |  Mozambique |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 14 |  Mauritius |
1 | 5 | 6 | 12 |
| 15 |  Cameroon |
1 | 4 | 10 | 15 |
| 16 |  Tanzania |
1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 17 |  Uganda |
1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 18 |  Gabon |
1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
 Zambia |
1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | |
| 20 |  Lesotho |
0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 21 |  Madagascar |
0 | 2 | 9 | 11 |
| 22 |  Libya |
0 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| 23 |  Seychelles |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 24 |  Central African Republic |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Sierra Leone |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 26 |  Burkina Faso |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
 Zaire |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 28 |  Swaziland |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Botswana |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Republic of the Congo |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 213 | 205 | 253 | 671 |
Athletics
Three athletes, two female and one male, won more than one event:- Frankie FredericksFrankie FredericksFrank Fredericks is a former athlete from Namibia. Running in the 100 metres and 200 metres, he won four silver medals at the Olympic Games , making him Namibia's first and so far only Olympic medalist...
, Namibia (100 metres and 200 metres) - Susan SirmaSusan SirmaSusan Sirma is a retired Kenyan middle distance runner best known for winning a bronze medal over 3000 metres at the 1991 World Championships, becoming the first black African woman to win a track and field medal at World Championship or Olympic level.Sirma also won two gold medals over this...
, Kenya (1500 metres and 3000 metres) - Hanan Ahmed KhaledHanan Ahmed KhaledHanan Ahmed Khaled is an Egyptian female athlete The most successful female athlete in the history Egyptian athletics winning a total of two gold medals in All-Africa Games, four gold, five silver and two Bronze medals in African Athletic championships in discus throw and shot put.She also played...
, Egypt (shot put and discus throw)
In addition, Nigeria won three of the four 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; 4x100 metres for men and women as well as women's 4x400 metres. No new events were added.
Field hockey
- Men: 1. Egypt, 2. KenyaKenya national field hockey teamThe Kenyan National Field Hockey Team represent Kenya Hockey Union in the international field hockey competition. Kenya's best result in the Hockey World Cup was fourth place in 1971...
, 3. Zimbabwe, 4. Ghana, 5. Nigeria
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 transformed to a U-23 competition. It was won by Cameroon, and it was the first Games in which the host country did not win a medal.
| Gold: | Silver: | Bronze: |
| Cameroon Cameroon national football team The Cameroon national football team, nicknamed Les Lions Indomptables , is controlled by the Fédération Camerounaise de Football and is Africa's most successful side in FIFA world cup; having qualified for the FIFA World Cup six times – in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010– more than any... Coach: |
Tunisia Tunisia national football team The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round... Coach: |
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: |