One lesser-known and one high profile African athlete to watch at the Olympics

Africans to watch at the Olympics

JOHANNESBURG, April 20 (ANA) – One African athlete that is not yet a household name is Gambian women’s runner Gina Bass, and she will be aiming to make history at the Tokyo Olympics.

The sprinter made a big breakthrough in 2019, setting national records of 11.13 for 100m and 22.58 for 200m. She won the African Games title over 200m and then finished sixth in that event at the World Championships in Doha.

Her 2020 campaign started promisingly, as she won all six of her 60m races during the indoor season, reducing her personal best to 7.11. She hasn’t competed since then, but if she is able to pick up in 2021 where she left off last year, Bass could become the first Gambian sportsperson to reach an Olympic final in any sport.

At the other end of the spectrum, is men’s 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk.

The South African sprinter made two pieces of history in 2016: earlier that year he became the first man in history to break 10 seconds for 100m, 20 seconds for 200m and 44 seconds for 400m.

He capped that season off with a world 400m record of 43.03 at the Olympics in Rio.

But after winning his second world 400m title in 2017, Van Niekerk picked up a serious knee injury while playing rugby, which kept him out of action for the best part of two years.

His performances over the past 12 months, though, have been encouraging and he looks on track to make it to Tokyo.

Van Niekerk won the men’s 200m race at the Athletics SA Championship over the weekend as he begins his final preparations for the defence of his Olympic title.

“Tonight was just about getting the win and feeling what it’s like to win again at championship level,” Van Niekerk said.

“Now I can use this momentum going forward. Training is going well and I’m feeling confident in myself.” – African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Michael Sherman