Paris 2024: African spirit of victory, Olympic lessons and the path to transformation

The 2024 Paris Olympics became a grand sporting event where the whole world followed the achievements of the best athletes on the planet. Bookmaker 1xBet invites you to evaluate the African performance at the Olympic Games, discuss the continent’s sports prospects, and dream a little about the future.

Africans again proved their incredible talent and grit. Although the medal count was not entirely in their favor, several athletes made a strong statement and left an unforgettable impression. As noted by renowned sports journalist, Nigeria’s first female commentator and 1xBet ambassador Suo Chapele: “While the Africans as a whole did not collect as many medals as expected, several outstanding performances will forever remain etched in our memories.” Indeed, athletes such as Letsile Tebogo (Botswana), Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet (Kenya), Imane Khelif (Algeria), Tatjana Smith (South Africa), and the Moroccan men’s Olympic football team were the real heroes at these Games. Overall, the African continent took home 39 medals from Paris.

The sports expert believes that Africa’s medal haul is largely due to administrative issues that have “marred what could have been an exciting experience for many African athletes.” Unfortunately, numerous talented people have faced a lack of support at the national level. These factors affected the African teams and contestants’ performance.

Nigeria is home to many football talents. The national team's absence at the Paris Games has significantly weakened the position of the Nigerian delegation. It has led to discussions about the need for change. New forces are required. According to Suo, “perhaps it is worth paying attention to large amateur tournaments, such as the 1xCup, held in Lagos for the second year in a row with the 1xBet support. These competitions can be an excellent platform for identifying new stars.” The future leader of the Nigeria national squad may be already playing on the Lagos pitches.

Despite all the difficulties Africans face, their spirit and determination inspire. Bookmaker 1xBet admires the Olympic participants and closely follows their achievements. Regardless of the final results, they have written their name into the history of African sports and secured the continent’s status as a world-class sports region. Their success shows that, despite any obstacles, Africa is proud of its athletes and strives for even greater victories in the future.

The Paris Olympics are history that must be studied, and lessons must be learned. Then, you can confidently march into the future. And the future looks very promising for Africa. The world is focused on Egypt, considering a bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2036 or 2040. If it is approved by the Olympic Committee and the project is implemented, it will become a historic event for the entire continent. 

Suo emphasizes that hosting the Olympics in Africa brings many opportunities, such as growth in tourism, stimulation of the economy and labor market, infrastructure improvement, as well as promotion of sports and healthy lifestyles among youth. Successfully held Olympics can also help to strengthen prestige and promote “soft power”.

According to Suo, hosting the Olympics in Africa may be challenging. However, “with careful planning, collaboration, and innovation, it can be a groundbreaking success, demonstrating the continent’s potential and driving economic growth, infrastructure development, and global recognition.”

1xBet firmly believes that the example of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa clearly shows that nothing is impossible for this continent.