1999 All-Africa Games
Encyclopedia
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.
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
. 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 Egypt
ian team from the court. Haile Gebreselassie, 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.
Maria de Lurdes Mutola of Mozambique won her third 800 metres
title in a row. Nigeria won all four relay race
s; 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
.
tournament was won by Cameroon, who became the second team to win this tournament twice.
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 10, 1999 to September 19, 1999 in Greater Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. 53 countries participated in eighteen sports. Netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
was included as a demonstration sport.
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
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, which had lost to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
for a bid for the 2004 Olympic Games was hoping to impress FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
in hopes of landing the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
. Overall the games were a success, with hosts South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
outdistancing Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and 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...
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
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
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
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and 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...
forced police to escort 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 team from the court. Haile Gebreselassie, 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
Juan Antonio Samaranch
Don Juan Antonio Samaranch y Torelló, 1st Marquis of Samaranch, Grandee of Spain , known in Catalan as Joan Antoni Samaranch i Torelló , was a Catalan Spanish sports administrator who served as the seventh President of the International Olympic Committee from 1980 to 2001...
, praised South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
'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
Gete Wami
Getenesh Wami is a female Ethiopian cross country and track runner....
(athletics, 10000 m) all starred in the women's events. South African pole vaulter Okkert Brits
Okkert Brits
Okkert Brits is a South African athlete competing in the pole vault. His current personal best of 6.03m, set in 1995, is also the African record. He has won numerous medals at international events. He has competed in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games finishing 7th in 2000...
won his second African Games gold medal. Assefa Mezgebu
Assefa Mezgebu
Assefa Mezgebu is a retired Ethiopian long-distance runner, most known for winning a bronze medal in the 10,000 metres event at the 2000 Summer Olympics...
of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
won the men's 10000 m.
Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
beat Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
4-3 on penalty kicks to win the football finale.
Participating sports
- Netball (demonstration sport)NetballNetball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
Medal table
| 1 |  South Africa |
71 | 64 | 49 | 184 |
| 2 |  Nigeria |
64 | 28 | 37 | 129 |
| 3 |  Egypt |
53 | 60 | 45 | 158 |
| 4 |  Tunisia |
20 | 20 | 23 | 63 |
| 5 |  Algeria |
14 | 24 | 32 | 70 |
| 6 |  Kenya |
10 | 10 | 20 | 40 |
| 7 |  Cameroon |
6 | 13 | 22 | 41 |
| 8 |  Senegal |
6 | 10 | 9 | 25 |
| 9 |  Ethiopia |
6 | 4 | 4 | 14 |
| 10 |  Lesotho |
6 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| 11 |  Angola |
4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 12 |  Madagascar |
4 | 3 | 7 | 14 |
| 13 |  Ghana |
2 | 2 | 11 | 15 |
| 14 |  Côte d'Ivoire |
2 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| 15 |  Uganda |
2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 16 |  Zimbabwe |
1 | 10 | 13 | 24 |
| 17 |  Mauritius |
1 | 7 | 9 | 17 |
| 18 |  Gabon |
1 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| 19 |  Democratic Republic of the Congo |
1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 20 |  Mozambique |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 |  Botswana |
0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 22 |  Seychelles |
0 | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| 23 |  Niger |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
 Republic of the Congo |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 25 |  Tanzania |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Zambia |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Togo |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Benin |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 29 |  Swaziland |
0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 30 |  Central African Republic |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
 Mali |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
 Namibia |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
 Cape Verde |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 34 |  Guinea-Bissau |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Libya |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Malawi |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 224 | 223 | 280 | 727 |
Athletics
See Athletics at the 1999 All-Africa GamesAthletics at the 1999 All-Africa Games
The seventh All-Africa Games were held in September 1999 in Johannesburg, South Africa. As the track is at an altitude of 1748 metres all performances are considered to be set at altitude, this is believed to assist events up to 400 metres and in the long jump and triple jump...
Maria de Lurdes Mutola of Mozambique won her third 800 metres
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
title in a row. Nigeria won all 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 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
Pole vault
Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...
, hammer throw
Hammer throw
The modern or Olympic hammer throw is an athletic throwing event where the object is to throw a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle. The name "hammer throw" is derived from older competitions where an actual sledge hammer was thrown...
and 10 kilometres road walk
Race walking
Racewalking, or race walking, is a long-distance athletic event. Although it is a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times...
.
Field hockey
- Men: 1. South AfricaSouth Africa national field hockey teamThe South Africa national field hockey team is the national team of South Africa that participates in international field hockey matches and tournaments...
, 2. Egypt, 3. 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...
, 4. Zimbabwe, 5. Ghana, 6. Malawi - Women. 1. South AfricaSouth Africa women's national field hockey teamThe South Africa women's national field hockey team is the national women's field hockey team of South Africa that participates in international matches and tournaments...
, 2. Zimbabwe, 3. Kenya, 4. Namibia
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 Cameroon, who became the second team to win this tournament twice.
| 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: |
Zambia Zambia national football team The Zambia national football team represents the country of Zambia in the sport of association football and is governed by the Football Association of Zambia. Before independence they were known as the Northern Rhodesia national football team. The side is nicknamed Chipolopolo as copper is one of... Coach: |
South Africa South Africa national football team The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in... Coach: |