CAIRO – Egypt’s rising athletics stars delivered a sensational performance at the 2025 African U18 and U20 Athletics Championships, collecting a historic 25 medals across disciplines, marking one of the country’s most dominant outings on the continental stage.
Months of preparation and a clear developmental roadmap paid off as the Egyptian delegation – the largest in its athletics history – asserted its growing status in the sport with 8 gold, 11 silver, and 6 bronze medals.
Gold glory
The gold medal winners included Abdullah Mohamed in the hammer throw (U20 boys), Ali El-Din Wael and Youssef Medhat in the pole vault (U18 boys), Asil Osama in the javelin throw (U18 girls), and Youssef Mohsen Ramadan in race walking (U18 boys).
Their victories underscoring Egypt’s strength in both technical and endurance events
Silver surge
Adding to the medal tally, Egypt secured 11 silver medals across multiple events.
Among the standout performances were Rasha Siaam and Haneen Khaled in the pole vault (U20 and U18 girls respectively), Leila Mohamed in the high jump, and Mariam Reda and Malak Abdel Ghani in the hammer throw and steeplechase.
Ziad Anis and Mona Ali Hussein impressed in race walking, while Yahya Khaled Helmy capped off the silver medals with a strong showing in the discus throw.
Bronze brilliance
The team also claimed nine bronze medals, including double podium finishes for Mona Ali Hussein and Ammar Ashraf, who excelled in the 10,000-meter walk, shot put, and discus throw.
Other notable contributors included Reem Tamer, Malak Said, and Adam Tamer, reinforcing the depth of talent within the youth setup.
The Egyptian delegation was the largest in the nation’s athletics history, comprising 46 male and female athletes in addition to an experienced technical and administrative staff.
This robust participation reflects a growing national investment in athletics as a platform for youth development and international competition.
Epic showing
Egyptian Athletics Federation President Hatem Fouda hailed the achievement as a testament to the team’s fighting spirit and disciplined preparation. “This is the outcome of structured planning and teamwork. We aim to build on this success toward global excellence,” he said.
Mohamed Abu Fandi, board member and head of delegation, praised the athletes’ resolve: “Our champions engraved their names in gold in Nigeria. Their triumph reflects their effort and the unwavering support of Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi.”
Champs praised
Minister Ashraf Sobhi congratulated the athletes and federation on their continental success, calling the 25-medal feat a milestone in Egypt’s sports development.
Sobhi underscored that this success is the fruit of long-term strategic planning, close cooperation between the ministry and the federation, and a comprehensive youth development framework aimed at preparing athletes to compete on the global stage—including the upcoming World Championships and Olympic Games.
“These medals reaffirm that Egyptian athletics is on a steady rise,” the minister said. “It reflects our broader national strategy to empower youth and achieve sporting excellence.”
Eyes on Olympics
Fouda said the results confirm that Egypt is narrowing the gap with the world’s elite: “Our ultimate goal is the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, where we aim to secure Egypt’s first-ever athletics medal.”
Board member Magdy Abdel-Badi called this squad a “golden generation,” citing performances by Ahmed Tarek (hammer), Hamza (shot put), and Basant Hamida (sprints) as signs of real progress.
He affirmed the Federation’s commitment to nurturing youth and expanding global participation.
Worlds spot
Sprint sensation Basant Hamida became the first Egyptian woman to qualify directly for the World Athletics Championships, set for Tokyo this September, clocking a national-record 50.53 seconds in the 400m at the Continental Tour Silver meet in Madrid.
Her European run has been equally successful. Hamida claimed gold in the 200 meters at the Brescia Meeting in Italy, setting a new meet record of 22.91 seconds.
She followed that up with a 400-meter gold at the Luca International Meeting and a bronze medal in the 100 meters at the Kip Keino Classic in Kenya, posting a time of 11.49 seconds.
Grateful for the Federation’s continued backing, Hamida acknowledged the role of the board in facilitating her progress across international events.
Her consistent success cements her status as one of Egypt’s brightest prospects ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Global success
Egypt’s athletics momentum extends well beyond the continent, with national stars making their presence felt on the global stage in recent international meets.
Youth Olympic champion Ahmed Tarek won bronze in the hammer throw in Uzbekistan with a distance of 70.20 meters.
Arab and African champion Mohamed Magdy Hamza, meanwhile, earned silver in the shot put at Germany’s Schoneberger Cup with a 19.92-meter throw.
Basant continued her golden run with a 22.76-second victory in the 200 meters at a German continental bronze meet, while hurdler Youssef Badawy bagged silver in the 110m hurdles at the Cyprus International Meeting.
