Top 10 African Athletes Holding Guinness World Records
18:26 08.08.2023 (Updated: 10:18 09.08.2023)
© AP Photo / Ronald Zak
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Africa is a continent rich in culture, diversity, and talent. Among its many achievements, Africa has produced some of the most remarkable athletes in the world, who have set Guinness World Records in various sports and disciplines.
These athletes have not only demonstrated their excellence and dedication, but also inspired millions of people around the world with their stories and feats.
Here are the top 10 African athletes who hold Guinness World Records:
1. Chinonso Eche (Nigeria)
Chinonso Eche is a Nigerian footballer who has a passion and talent for freestyle football. He has set seven Guinness World Records for making the most consecutive football (soccer) touches in one minute while balancing a football on his head.
He achieved this impressive feat by making 133 touches during his appearance on “Lo Show Dei Record” in Milan, Italy, on February 1, 2023, which is an astonishing 22 touches more than his previous record.
Eche started playing freestyle football at the age of eight and has since developed his skills and creativity. Now 13 years old, he hopes to become a professional footballer and represent Nigeria in the future.
2. Wayde van Niekerk (South Africa)
Wayde Van Niekerk, of South Africa, wins a heat in the men's 400-meter run at the World Athletics Championships on Sunday, July 17, 2022, in Eugene, Ore.
© AP Photo / Ashley Landis
Wayde van Niekerk is a South African sprinter who gained international recognition for his exceptional performance in the 400-meter race. On August 14, 2016, at the Rio Olympics, van Niekerk shattered the longstanding world record in the men’s 400 meters, achieving a time of 43.03 seconds.
This extraordinary feat not only earned him an Olympic gold medal, but also secured him a place in the Guinness World Records.
Van Niekerk also became the first man to win the 400 meters from lane eight, and the only man to have run the 100 meters in under 10 seconds, the 200 meters in under 20 seconds, and the 400 meters in 43.03 seconds.
3. Hicham El Guerrouj (Morocco)
In this Aug. 28, 2004, file photo, Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj celebrates after winning the gold medal in the 5000-meter final, his second gold medal of the games, at the Olympic Stadium during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. El Guerrouj also won a gold medal in the 1500-meters.
© AP Photo / RUSTY KENNEDY
Hicham El Guerrouj is a Moroccan middle-distance runner who dominated the sport in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He holds the record for the fastest mile run by a male athlete, with a time of 3 minutes 43.13 seconds at the Golden Gala meeting in Rome, Italy, on July 7, 1999.
He also holds the record for the fastest 1,500 m run by a male athlete, with a time of 3 minutes 26 seconds at the Herculis meeting in Monaco, on July 14, 1998.
El Guerrouj is widely regarded as one of the greatest middle-distance runners of all time, having won four world titles and two Olympic gold medals in his career.
4. David Rudisha (Kenya)
Kenya's David Lekuta Rudisha wins the men's 800-meter final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016.
© AP Photo / David J. Phillip
David Rudisha is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the 800-meter race. He holds the record for the fastest 800 m run by a male athlete, with a time of 1 minute 40.91 seconds at the London 2012 Olympic Games in the United Kingdom.
He also holds the record for the most consecutive wins in men’s 800 m races, with a total of 34 wins from 2009 to 2012.
5. Tuedon Morgan (Nigeria)
Tuedon Morgan is a Nigerian female athlete who set a Guinness World Record in 2015 by becoming the fastest woman to run a half-marathon on every continent and the North Pole. She completed the challenge in just 62 days, 12 hours, 58 minutes, and 49 seconds.
Morgan ran half-marathons in eight different countries on seven different continents: Australia, Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, and the Arctic Circle. Morgan is also a motivational speaker and an advocate for women’s empowerment.
6. Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia)
Ethiopia's long distance runner Haile Gebrselassie crosses the finish line to win the Vienna city half marathon, in downtown Vienna, Austria, on Sunday, April 15, 2012.
© AP Photo / Ronald Zak
Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time. He holds the record for the most wins of the Berlin Marathon in men’s long-distance running consecutively in 2006–2009, with a total of four medals (two gold and two silver).
The Ethiopian also holds several world records in various distances, ranging from 5 km to marathon. Gebrselassie is also a successful businessman and a humanitarian, who has contributed to various causes in Ethiopia and beyond.
Gebrselassie's record was later equaled by Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge in 2015, 2017–18, and 2022.
7. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
Eliud Kipchoge, of Kenya, runs during the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, Mass., Monday, April 17, 2023
© AP Photo / Jennifer McDermott
Eliud Kipchoge is a Kenyan marathon runner who has achieved legendary status in his sport. He holds the record for the fastest marathon run by a male athlete, with a time of 2 hours, 1 minute, and 39 seconds at the Berlin Marathon in Germany, on September 16, 2018.
He also holds the record for the fastest marathon run under special conditions, with a time of 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 40 seconds at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria, on October 12, 2019.
Kipchoge is the only human being to have run 42 kilometers in under two hours. He is also the reigning Olympic champion and the winner of 12 out of the 13 marathons he has participated in.
8. Stephen Keshi (Nigeria)
In this Feb. 3, 2013 file photo, Nigeria's head coach Stephen Keshi, center, reacts to the final whistle of their African Cup of Nations quarterfinals match with Ivory Coast at the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa.
© AP Photo / Armando Franca
Stephen Keshi was a celebrated Nigerian football player and coach, who excelled in both roles. In 2013, Keshi became the youngest person to win the African Cup of Nations as a player and coach when he led Nigeria to success with a 1-0 win over Burkina Faso.
In 1994, he won the same tournament as the captain of the Nigerian national team, leading them to a 2-1 victory over Zambia.
Keshi is one of only two men to have won the African Cup of Nations as both a player and a coach, along with Mahmoud El-Gohary of Egypt. He is widely regarded as one of the best African footballers and coaches of all time. On June 7, 2016, Keshi suffered a heart attack and died on the way to hospital in Benin City at the age of 54.Paul Kehinde is a Nigerian para powerlifter who has shown strength and determination in his sport. He set a Guinness World Record in 2018 by lifting the heaviest weight by a male in the 65 kg category.
9. Caster Semenya (South Africa)
South Africa's Caster Semenya reacts after finishing the women's 5000m final of the 22nd African Athletics Championships at the Cote d'Or National Sports Complex in Saint Pierre, on June 9, 2022.
© FABIEN DUBESSAY
Caster Semenya is a South African middle-distance runner who has overcome many challenges and controversies in her career. She holds the record for the fastest 800 m run by a female athlete at the Commonwealth Games, with a time of 1 minute, 56.68 seconds at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
She also holds the record for the fastest 800 m run by a female athlete at the African Games, with a time of 1 minute, 56.06 seconds at the Rabat 2019 African Games in Morocco. Semenya is a three-time world champion and a two-time Olympic gold medalist in her field.
10. Paul Kehinde (Nigeria)
Nigerian para powerlifter Paul Kehinde
© Photo Paul Kehinde powerlifting foundation
Paul Kehinde is a Nigerian para powerlifter who has shown his strength and determination in his sport. He set a Guinness World Record in 2018 by lifting the heaviest weight by a male in the 65-kg category.
He lifted a staggering 221 kg (487 pounds and 3.5 ounces) at the 9th Fazza 2018 World Para Powerlifting World Cup in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Kehinde also holds the Paralympic record in his category, with a lift of 220 kg (485 pounds) at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in Brazil.
These were some of the outstanding world records held by African athletes who have shown their excellence and dedication in their respective sports. They have made Africa proud and inspired many people around the world. Do you have a favorite sport or athlete? 😊
