1999 All-Africa Games

The 7th All-Africa Games were held from September 10, 1999, to September 19, 1999, in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. 53 countries participated in eighteen sports. Netball was included as a demonstration sport.

VII All-Africa Games
Official logo of the Games
Host cityJohannesburg, South Africa
Nations participating53
Events18 sports
Opening ceremony10 September
Closing ceremony19 September
Officially opened byThabo Mbeki
Main venueFNB Stadium
WebsiteAAG.org.za

The South Africans hosted about 25,000 visitors including 6,000 athletes and 3,000 officials from throughout the continent. The Opening Ceremonies, with dancing, African parables and Zulu warriors, was staged in an arena with less than 15 000 spectators.

South Africa, which had lost to Greece for a bid for the 2004 Olympic Games was hoping to impress FIFA in hopes of landing the 2006 World Cup. It eventually got the 2010 edition. Overall the games were a success, with hosts South Africa outdistancing Nigeria and Egypt in the medals race.

Typical problems at the games included 600 children contracting food poisoning after being fed boxed lunches at the practice session for the Opening Ceremonies, striking laborers demonstrating outside games venues, displaying placards which read "No Wages, No All Africa Games." Women's field hockey was demoted to a non-medal event after the Nigerian team dropped out of the tournament. A melee at the finish of the basketball game between Angola and Egypt forced police to escort the Egyptian team from the court. Haile Gebrselassie, the world record holder in the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs opted out of the games for health reasons, depriving the games organizers of one of the biggest drawing cards of the games.

Despite the difficulties IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, praised South Africa's organization of the Games, saying "this shows that you can organize big events."

Olympic stars Maria de Lurdes Mutola (athletics-800 m), Penny Heyns (swimming), Gete Wami (athletics, 10000 m) all starred in the women's events. South African pole vaulter Okkert Brits won his second African Games gold medal. Assefa Mezgebu of Ethiopia won the men's 10000 m.

Cameroon beat Zambia 4-3 on penalty kicks to win the football finale.

Participating sports

Medal table

  *   Host nation (South Africa)

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 South Africa (SAF)*716449184
2 Nigeria (NGR)642837129
3 Egypt (EGY)536045158
4 Tunisia (TUN)20202363
5 Algeria (ALG)14243270
6 Kenya (KEN)10102040
7 Cameroon (CMR)6132241
8 Senegal (SEN)610925
9 Ethiopia (ETH)64414
10 Lesotho (LES)61310
11 Madagascar (MAD)43714
12 Angola (ANG)4116
13 Ghana (GHA)221115
14 Ivory Coast (CIV)2158
15 Uganda (UGA)2136
16 Zimbabwe (ZIM)1101324
17 Mauritius (MRI)17917
18 Gabon (GAB)13610
19 DR Congo (COD)1124
20 Mozambique (MOZ)1001
21 Botswana (BOT)0325
22 Seychelles (SEY)0167
23 Congo (CGO)0123
 Niger (NIG)0123
25 Benin (BEN)0101
 Tanzania (TAN)0101
 Togo (TOG)0101
 Zambia (ZAM)0101
29 Swaziland (SWZ)0044
30 Cape Verde (CPV)0022
 Central African Republic (CAF)0022
 Mali (MLI)0022
 Namibia (NAM)0022
34 Guinea-Bissau (GBS)0011
 Libya (LBA)0011
 Malawi (MAW)0011
Totals (36 nations)275273328876

Athletics

See Athletics at the 1999 All-Africa Games

Maria de Lurdes Mutola of Mozambique won her third 800 metres title in a row. Nigeria won all four relay races; 4x100 metres and 4x400 metres for men and women. South African athletes won all four throwing events for men.

Some new women's events were added: pole vault, hammer throw and 10 kilometres road walk.

Field hockey

Soccer

The soccer tournament was won by Cameroon, who became the second team to win this tournament twice.

Gold: Silver: Bronze:
Cameroon

Coach:

Zambia

Coach: Ben Bamfuchile

South Africa

Coach:

References

  1. Kenya Hockey Union: All Africa Games Results
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