A look at team Gambia’s impressive showings at the just concluded 22nd CAA African Athletics Championship held at the Cote d’Or National Sports Complex in Mauritius from June 8-12 2022 which witnessed the participation of nearly 500 athletes from over 40 countries across the continent.
The Confederation of African Athletics Senior Championship returned after it was last held in Asaba, Nigeria in 2018. The Championship could not take place in the last three years as a result of postponements and cancellations due to the Covid-19 pandemic which halted several other global sport events.
It was an entertaining five-day championship with World and Olympic stars battling to maintain their titles, lead and seek dominance in the world of athletics with the likes of two-time Olympian Akani Simbine, Caster Semenya, Olympic bronze medalist Hugues Fabrice Zango, the world leader in 100m Ferdinand Omanyala and of course our very own Olympian Gina Bass the African Games gold medalist all graced the major convergence.
The Gambia traveled with 14 athletes nine men and five women with Sprint Queen Gina Bass leading the Gambia’s medal charge in the various competitions.
And predictably, the Gambian Olympian showed why she is been regarded as one of the best sprinters on the continent with a stunning race and finish to win the coveted 100m race ahead of some stellar names in African athletics field.
Gina won gold with an impressive timing of 11.06 seconds. It was remarkable achievement for the sprinter, improving on her personal best timing breaking the country’s record in 100m sprint.
Despite her heroics in the finals of the 100m race, the Gambian sprint queen was unable to participate in the finals of her favourite 200m sprint race after pulling out with an injury.
Team Gambia was on the podium again after the female 4X100m team won bronze. The men’s 4X100m relay team couldn’t achieve the same feat but the same team made it to the 4x4m relay finals of the competition.
With the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the world athletics games in Oregon on the horizon plus the Islamic Games in Turkey also to come, there will be little respite for some of the country’s top athletes as they aim to continue their impressive showings on the global stage.
NAMES OF ATHLETES AND EVENTS THEY PARTICIPATED IN AT THE 22ND CAA AFRICAN ATHLETICS SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
| Name of a athletes/Official | Event/Position |
| 1. Ebrima Camara | 100/200/4x100m |
| 2. Adama Jammeh | 100m 4x100m |
| 3. Alieu Joof | 200m/4x100m |
| 4. Sengan Jobe | 200m/4x100m |
| 5. Edrissa Marong | 800m/1500m/4x400m |
| 6. Modou L Bah | 400m/4x400m |
| 7. Tony cylva | 400m/4x400m |
| 8. Modou Sanneh | 4x400m/mixed relay |
| 9. Omar B Sambou | Mixed relay |
| 10. Gina Bass | 100m/400x100m |
| 11. Fatou Sowe | 100m/4x100m |
| 12. Fatou Sanneh | Mixed relay/4x100m (reserve) |
| 13. Nyimasata Jawneh | 4x100m |
| 14. Maimuna Jallow | 100m/200m/4x100m |