Nigeria: Africa, Its Diaspora At World Athletics

7 October 2015
opinion

Last month in China's famous Bird's Nest stadium - scene of the 2008 Beijing Olympics - Africa and its Diaspora shone brightly at the World Athletics Championships. Kenya topped the overall medals table with seven gold, six silver, and three bronze; Jamaica was second with seven gold, two silver, and three bronze; while Ethiopia was fifth with three gold, three silver, and two bronze. The United States (U.S.) - with a preponderance of athletes of African ancestry - was third with six medals in each category.

The achievements of Kenya and Jamaica in finishing ahead of the American colossus was remarkable. The U.S. is the world's largest economy with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $16.8 trillion and a population of 316 million. In stark contrast, Kenya has a GDP of $80 billion (smaller than Nigeria's megalopolis of Lagos), and a population of 44 million. The tiny island of Jamaica has a GDP of $25.2 billion, and a population of 2.8 million. Equally incredibly, the African and Caribbean countries producing world-class athletes almost all lack quality domestic facilities and sports administrations, often relying on training facilities in North America and Europe.

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