Olympic champions Faith Kipyegon, Letsile Tebogo and Imane Khelif are set to be feted at the African Olympic Awards scheduled to take place in Algiers on March 15.
The continental event will be held on the sidelines of the ANOCA Elective General Assembly where Mustapha Berraf will be re-elected as president.
The event is set to be chaired by Algerian Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui who will reward the nine personalities among them Faith Kipyegon and Letsile Tebogo for their exemplary performances at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Letsile Tebogo, who won the Olympic 200m title will be feted as the best male athlete while Kipyegon, who won her third successive Olympic title in the 1500m will be honoured as the best female athlete.
The most promising awards will be given to Algerian Kaylia Nemour, 18, who won a gold medal on the uneven bars in Paris, and Kenyan Emmanuel Wanyonyi, 20, who secured the Olympic title in the 800m.
Wanyonyi attained the honours while clocking one of the fastest times in history, threatening David Rudisha’s world record. He clocked an impressive 1:41.11 to cross the finish line as Marco Arop and Djamel Sedjati came in second and third.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, whose Olympic win sparked controversy from across the globe, will also be feted with the Grand Prix award for her resilience and effort in the women’s category.
In the men’s category, the prize will go to Egyptian Ahmed El-Gendy, the Olympic champion in the modern pentathlon.
On the coaching side, Emerse Faé, who led Cote d’Ivoire to the title of African football champion, will be honoured.
Rena Wakam, who guided the Nigerian women’s basketball players to the quarter-finals of the Olympic tournament, will also be feted. The African Recognition Trophy will go to the outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach.
