South Africa wins third consecutive CAA U18/U20 Athletics Championship title

Team South Africa has once again emerged victorious at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) U18/U20 Championships, claiming the continental title for the third consecutive time.

The announcement was made by CAA President, Hamad Kalkaba, during the closing ceremony in Abeokuta, Nigeria, where the 2025 edition of the championships concluded. Kalkaba confirmed that South Africa led the medal table, outperforming other participating nations.

He praised the technical quality of this year’s event, noting exceptional performances across various disciplines, including sprints, middle-distance races, jumps, and throws.

“Nigeria continues to establish itself as a sprinting powerhouse, showcasing a talented pool of young athletes,” Kalkaba stated.

The championship featured a total of 940 athletes 362 in the U18 category and 578 in the U20 category representing several African nations.

Highlighting standout individual performances, Kalkaba revealed that Botswana’s Justice Oratile clocked an impressive 45.38 seconds in the U20 men’s 400 metres, with three other athletes finishing under 46 seconds in the same event. South Africa’s Temoso Masikane achieved a 16.03-metre leap in the U20 Triple Jump.

From Nigeria, Honour Clement cleared 2.10 metres in the High Jump, Favour Ongah ran the women’s 400 metres in 52 seconds, and Prestina Ochonogor recorded a 6.70-metre jump in the Long Jump.

The CAA president commended various nations for their specialised strengths, noting that Algeria and Egypt reaffirmed dominance in throwing events, Kenya remained consistent in middle-distance running, and South Africa excelled in hurdles.

Kalkaba also expressed appreciation to the Nigerian government for stepping in to host after Algeria was initially unable to meet the hosting requirements. He confirmed that Algeria will now host the 2027 edition of the championships.