The main sport in which Africa is expected to take centre-stage is obviously athletics.

With between 10 and 20 Olympic medals per edition, Africa will leavily rely on its track and field athletes in Beijing. Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Eritrea, Morocco and Sudan are the most likely to shine in the long and mid-distance races. Baring cases of poor peformance, stars like such Bekele and Dibaba sisters will leave Beijing with medals. Others hopefuls are Nigerian Fasuba, in the men’s 100m recently-crowned world indoor 60m champion, and the Cameroonian and Olympic triple champion jump Francoise M’Bango who marked her return with style at the last African championships in Addis Ababa. Apart from to athletics, swimming should certainly, offer a few medals to our continent. Whereas South Africa would certainly be under the spotlight in this event thanks to Roland Schoeman (50/100m freestyle and butterfly), Gerhard Zandberg (50m backstroke) and the relay races (men’s 4x100m), the Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry should be the african star of the Beijing swimming-pool. Coventry it would be recalled won three medals at the last Olympics Games. Some observers wonder if she will do better for these Games. It is quite possible judging from the world record Coventry has recently broken in the 200m backstroke.

Other swimmers likely to be in the Top 3 position are the young South African Cameron Van Der Burgh, the Algerian Salim Ilès and the Tunisian Oussama Mellouli, recently back at the highest level after his suspension for doping.

Boxing is also a discipline that traditionally brings Africa some medals. Several countries such as Algeria, Egypt (3 medals at the Athens Olympic Games), Morocco or Nigeria can hope to come away with medals. The young Zambian Hastings Bwalya who made a strong impression during his last preolympic boxing bouts could also be a medal-hope.

North Africa will spearhead the continent in judo for these Games. However, the chances of winning a medal are rather slim, despite progress made recently by the African judo.

In taekwondo, the Malian Daba Modibo, world champion in 2007 (+80 kg), could be the first sportman of his country to bring home an Olympic medal. Egyptians involved in various categories also stand good of medal chances.

Greco-Roman wrestling could also reserve some good surprises. It would be recalled that four years ago, Ibrahim Karam emerged as the strong man of the olympic tournament (+96 kg), giving Egypt its first Olympic title.

Football teams of Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast will strive to relive the great moments of 1996 and 2000 with respectively the victories of Nigeria and Cameroon at Atlanta and Sydney. In a competition that seems very open, the African teams can hope to come away with a medal.

In basketball, the draws have put African teams in difficult groups. However, the African champions, Mali for women and Angola for men, have the talent to come out with flying ties in their Olympic tournaments.

And as for every Olympiad, we expect pleasant surprises such as the bronze medal won by South Africa in rowing in 2004 in Athens.