Yego wins record sixth African title in Accra

Kenya’s javelin thrower Julius Yego won a record sixth African javelin title on Sunday during the 24th edition of the African Senior Athletics Championships at the University of Ghana Stadium in Accra.

The veteran athlete is now eyeing a fifth appearance at the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

Speaking at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium after receiving his gold medal, Yego hinted that this could be his final appearance at the African Championships after successfully defending his title. He said his focus is now on the 2027 World Championships in Beijing and the 2028 Olympics in the United States.

“I didn’t want to come and compete in this edition, but Athletics Kenya convinced me to do so. My focus now is Beijing next year and LA in 2028,” Yego told reporters.

To secure his record sixth title, Yego threw 80.22 metres to claim gold, while Nigeria’s Chinecherem Prosper Nnamdi took silver with a throw of 79.22 metres. Egypt’s Moustafa Mahmoud settled for bronze after throwing 77.25 metres.

The victory marks a historic sixth continental javelin title for the veteran thrower, further cementing his legacy as Africa’s most decorated athlete in the event.

The triumph follows his silver medal performance at the 2024 African Games in Accra, where he managed a throw of 81.74 metres. Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi Nnamdi won gold in that event with a throw of 82.80 metres.

Yego won his first African title in Porto-Novo, Benin, in 2012 before claiming his second in Marrakech, Morocco, in 2014. Four years later, he travelled to Asaba, Nigeria, where he secured his third continental title in 2018.

In 2022, he won his fourth African crown in Port Louis, Mauritius, before adding a fifth in Douala, Cameroon, in 2024. Now, on the final day of competition in Accra on May 17, 2026, Yego has claimed a sixth African javelin title, leaving behind an unmatched legacy. However, the ageing legend has also hinted that this may have been his final appearance on the continental stage.

The Inspector of Police, who joined the service in 2008 as a police constable, made his Olympic debut in London in 2012, where he finished 12th. Four years later, he qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil and won a historic silver medal.

Yego also competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which were postponed to 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In his fourth Olympic appearance, at the Paris 2024 Games, he once again reached the final.

He is now hoping to qualify for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, which would mark his fifth and possibly final appearance at the Games. After winning silver in Rio in 2016, Yego now hopes to end his illustrious career with an Olympic gold medal for Kenya and a place in history.