African countries gained two bronze medals in Sunday's Olympic action - in the men's high jump and the women's marathon - while some top African athletes made it through to the finals of their events and will be aiming for medals tomorrow.
Men's high jumper, Abderrahmane Hammad of Algeria, successfully jumped 2.32m giving him third place in the final.
Kenya's Joyce Chepchumba was third in the women's marathon with 2hrs 24:25s, just over a minute behind a Japanese winning time and Olympic record of 2hrs 23:14s. The result was a disappointment for some other impressive Kenyans and Ethiopians, including Tegla Loroupe who came in 13th with 2hrs 29:45s. Loroupe, two-time winner of the New York City Marathon, set a women's world-best time at the Berlin Marathon in 1999 of 2hrs 20:43s.
Others in the race included Kenya's Esther Wanjiru (4th), Ethiopians Elfenesh Alemu (6th) and Fatouma Roba (9th) who won the gold medal four years ago in Atlanta. South African Colleen De Reuck and Ethiopian Gadissie Edato were 31st and 36th respectively.
In one other final, that of the women's triple jump, Algerian Baya Rouhouli came fifth.
Elsewhere there were promising signs for finals still to come. In the women's 400m semi-finals South Africa's Heide Seyerling and Nigeria's Falilat Ogunkoya both qualified, the latter with the third fastest time. They will have to contend with Australian star and darling of the crowds, Cathy Freeman, however.
The men's 400m semis saw South African Hendrick Mokganyetsi go through the final but he too will have a major challenge to overcome - he's up against Michael Johnson and Alvin Harrison, who won gold and silver at this event in Atlanta and are looking very strong. Both 400m finals are on Monday.
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Zambian Samuel Matete and South African Herbert Llewellyn both won their heats in the men's 400m hurdles, Matete achieving the fastest qualifying time going into the semi-finals on Monday. On the women's version of the same event, Moroccan Nouzha Bidouane won her heat and will go into the next round.
Other strong performances included that of South Africa's Frantz Kruger in the discus - he was lying in second place after the preliminary round and goes into the final on Monday, while another South African, Shaun Bownes qualified for the semi-final of the men's 110m hurdles, also on Monday.
Looking ahead, Monday is a key day for African athletes.
In the women's 5000m final, 6 out of the 15 starters are either Kenyan or Ethiopian. For the Ethiopians Gete Wami will be one to watch, with her team-mates Worknesh Kidane and Ayelech Worku. The Kenyans are Rose Cheruiyot and Vivian Cheruiyot and Lydia Cheromei - all three strong contenders.
In the men's 10,000m final, 8 out of 20 starters are African, and the line-up includes medal hopefuls Haile Gebreselassie and Paul Tergat.
Maria Mutola of Mozambique runs in the women's 800m final and South African Elmarie Gerryts competes in the women's pole vault final.
