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Several up-and-coming talents from Africa officially begin their quest for Olympic glory this week in Paris. Not only will they represent their countries with honor, but they’re also pursuing a place in sports history as Olympic gold medalists. We profiled five athletes who stand a chance of leaving an indelible mark on the Games.

Emmanuel Wanyonyi (Kenya, 800m)

Despite still being a teenager, Wanyonyi is already considered the heir to his compatriot and 800 metres world record holder, David Rudisha. The 19-year-old nearly failed to qualify for the Olympics after he was tripped and fell during the semifinals of the trials, finishing sixth. A successful appeal put him in the final where he registered a stunning time of 1:41.70, the third-fastest time in history, to book his ticket to Paris. In the absence of Olympic champion Emmanuel Korir, Wanyonyi will hope to take the mantle and ensure the title remains in Kenya.

Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda, 5,000m and 10,000m)

The 23-year-old has demonstrated he is a threat in the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres. In 2022, he triumphed in both distances at the Commonwealth Games. His bronze medal finishes at both the Tokyo 2020 Games and last year’s World Championships also strengthened the belief that he has the potential to become an Olympic champion. Kiplimo, buoyed by the successful defense of his World Athletics Cross Country Championships title in January, is a hot favorite to dethrone Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega.

Mali U-23 team (football)

Mali ended a 20-year wait to qualify for the Olympics after finishing third at the 2023 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations. Mali coach Alou Badra Diallo stated that his objective in Paris is to do better than the quarterfinal run at Athens 2004. Diallo hopes to mix speed and creativity with player concentration to give the team a deep run into the tournament and even secure a medal. The team will be spurred on by the explosiveness of Coli Saco and Brahima Diarra and the defensive solidity of Ibrahima Cissé. They will fancy their chances of progressing from Group D, which includes Japan, Paraguay, and Israel.

Neama Said (Egypt, Weightlifting)

Said will represent Egypt in one of the lesser-known Olympic sports featuring African athletes – weightlifting. Said will compete in the women’s 71kg category. She began competing at the international level in 2018 and won a silver medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. At just 21 years old, she has already won world titles as a youth, junior, and senior. Said was inspired to take up the sport by compatriot Sara Samir, and if she continues to emulate her hero, who won a bronze medal in the women’s 69 kg at Rio 2016, she is poised to return home with an Olympic medal.

Ashley Erasmus (South Africa, Shot put and discus throw)

The first-time Olympian had targeted participating at the 2028 Olympics but unexpectedly found herself making debut in Paris. Erasmus, 19, has excelled in both the shot put and discus throw. During last year’s African U20 Championships, she won gold in both disciplines. This year, she won gold in the shot put and finished sixth in the discus throw at the 2024 African Games in Ghana in March. Just last month, she claimed another gold in the shot put at the 2024 African Championships in Cameroon, setting a national record and African U20 record of 18.17m. Erasmus will be up against seasoned veterans but her achievements should give her the confidence that she can go toe-to-toe with the world’s best. She previously stated that she was ready and would “give her best” at the Games.