Article by: Obriel Maposa (Sports Editor), Dineo Modise (Journalist)
It was a weird year with very few events given green light to proceed, but 2020 still featured so many incredible moments in the sporting world. For Africans there was a lot of success to be proud of from a number of sporting disciplines. Here’s our picks at Network Live News.
Athletics
Ethiopia
The athletics season started off with a world record from Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh, who ran 1:04:31 at the RAK Half Marathon in the United Arab Emirates.
Kenya
In September, Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir beat the women-only half-marathon world record in Prague, clocking a 1:05:34 finish. Only a month later, she ran to the win at the World Half-Marathon Championships, where she beat her own women-only record, this time posting a 1:05:16.
Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei retained the women’s London Marathon title on Sunday, producing a brilliant solo run to claim a fourth career win in the 42.2km race.
Uganda
Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei ran in Monaco on two occasions in 2020, both times running 5K. His first race came in February, when he ran to a 5K road world record of 12:51. Several months later in August, he returned to Monaco, this time to contest 5K on the track. Just like he did at the start of the year, Cheptegei set a world record over 5,000m, running 12:35.36 to beat Kenenisa Bekele‘s record of 12.37.35.
Football
In football Al Ahly won the CAF Champions League and were voted the Club of the Century. The Egyptian Giants were also winners at the recent Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai.
Sadio Mane , Joel Matip, Naby Keita & Mohammed Salah were big winners as Liverpool won the Premier League in England.
In France Idrissa Gueye won the domestic treble with PSG.
Zimbabwean Tino Kadewere has had a dream start to his career with French League giants Lyon being voted the club’s signing of 2020.
Nigeria’s Victor James Osimhen transfers from Lille, France to Napoli in Italy broke the history as the most expensive African player in a deal worth almost 80 million euros.
COSAFA held its annual women’s tournament this year where South Africa claimed their fourth successive COSAFA Women’s Championship title following a 2-1 victory over Botswana in the decider played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Meanwhile, Tanzania were crowned champions of the COSAFA Women’s Under-17 Championship following an intense penalty shoot-out win over Zambia in the final.
African teams are now attracting some of the best coaches in the women’s game. American coach Randy Waldrum, who coached US Women’s league club Houston Dash was signed by Nigeria while Morocco signed Reynald Pedros, who has taken Lyon to the UEFA Women’s Champions League title twice.
Cameroon created a fixed wage cap across Women’s football divisions, and South Sudan have announced plans to start its premier women’s professional league in February 2021.01.03
Congo’s AS Vita have appointed Bestine Kazidi as Club President and Tanzania’s Simba FC, have appointed Barbara Gonzalez as CEO. These are two African football club giants, and this is the first time in the history of the clubs that women have been appointed to top leadership positions.
Cricket:
Women’s cricket in Africa had several ODIs and T20Is that had to be cancelled and rescheduled. The International Cricket Commission (ICC) commended Rwanda for its outstanding achievements in the growth of the women’s game. The Rwanda Cricket Association has won the 100% Cricket Participation Programme of the Year due to its partnership with Cricket Builds Hope, which is a charity that uses cricket to bring about social change in rural Rwanda.
Volleyball:
The African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) has assigned former Moroccan international player Bochra Hajij, the presidency of the CAVB, becoming the first female president of the Confederation.
Rest of the World
Hamilton more than a sportsman
Hamilton equals Schumacher’s record of 7 F1 Championships, the Brit away from the track managed to set up the Hamilton Commission to improve diversity in motorsport, and was also named Laureus World Sportsman Of The Year, BBC sports personality of the year, GQ’s Game Changer Of The Year and was named in Time Magazine 100 most influential people. Hamilton is also to be knighted which is the highest honour in the United Kingdom.
Athletes leading Black Lives Matter Movement
2020 saw a couple of athletes use their global personalities to speak out on racism in sport and communities. Across so many disciplines athletes become a beacon of hope in the fight against racism in the world. In a period, the world has been facing a global pandemic, we were faced with so many disturbing pictures of racism from different parts of the world. It was heart warming to see athletes take a stand in this fight. Notable athletes were Naomi Osaka the tennis sensation, Raheem Sterling the Manchester City forward, Anthony Joshua the boxer, and last but not least Lewis Hamilton the F1 Driver.