South Africa seize control as Nigeria chase revival at African Track Championships

Posted : 15 May 2026

South Africa delivered a commanding response on Day 2 of the 2026 African Track Championships in Abuja to wrestle the lead from hosts Nigeria in the race for continental supremacy.

After Nigeria dominated the opening day through a brilliant performance by the junior women cyclists, the tide turned on Thursday as the South Africans stamped their authority across multiple events at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

Team Nigeria had finished Day 1 on top of the standings with five gold, two silver, and three bronze medals, thanks largely to four gold medals secured by the junior women's team alongside another gold from the elite men’s category.

South Africa, however, remained within touching distance after claiming four gold, two silver, and one bronze medal on the opening day.

The Southern Africans raised the intensity on Thursday, producing one of the standout performances of the championships so far with seven gold, three silver, and two bronze medals to surge into first place overall.

Their impressive haul pushed their total to 11 gold, five silver, and three bronze medals, opening up a significant gap over Nigeria heading into Day 3.

For the hosts, Thursday proved less productive as they managed just one gold medal in addition to three silver and one bronze medal, slipping to second position in the overall standings.

Algeria continued their steady campaign to remain among the top-performing nations at the championships. After recording three gold and five silver medals on Day 1, the North Africans added three silver and three bronze medals to take their overall tally to three gold, eight silver, and three bronze medals.

Egypt also emerged as one of the biggest movers of the day following a strong resurgence. The Egyptians had ended the opening day with only three bronze medals, trailing several nations including Benin Republic, but bounced back impressively with three gold, one silver, and four bronze medals on Thursday.

That turnaround lifted Egypt to third place overall with three gold, one silver, and seven bronze medals.

Benin Republic, who occupied fourth place after Day 1 with two silver and one bronze medal, failed to improve their tally but maintained their position on the table.

With the championships set to conclude on Sunday, attention now shifts to whether Team Nigeria can recover from the setback and mount a successful comeback against the rampaging South Africans in front of their home supporters.

The intense competition in Abuja has set the stage for a thrilling final few days as nations battle for dominance on the track. Nigeria will need a significant performance on Day 3 to close the gap on South Africa and reclaim the top spot in the medal standings.

South Africa seize control as Nigeria chase revival at African Track Championships

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