The 7th All-Africa Games (Zulu: imiDlalo yesi-7 yase-Afrika; Afrikaans: 7de Afrika-Spele), also known as Johannesburg 1999 (Zulu: eGoli 1999), was a sport event held from 10 to 19 September 1999, in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. 53 countries participated in eighteen sports. Netball was included as a demonstration sport.

VII All-Africa Games
Official logo of the Games
Host cityJohannesburg, South Africa
Nations53
Events18 sports
Opening10 September 1999
Closing19 September 1999
Opened byThabo Mbeki
Main venueFNB Stadium
WebsiteAAG.org.za

The South Africans hosted about 25,000 visitors including 6,000 athletes and 3,000 officials from throughout the continent. The opening ceremony included dancing, African parables and Zulu warriors. Due to the size of the used props, the ceremony was staged in an arena with less than 15,000 spectators

South Africa, which had lost its bid to Greece for the 2004 Olympic Games, was hoping to impress FIFA in the hope of landing the 2006 World Cup. It eventually got the 2010 edition. Overall the games were a success, with hosts South Africa outdistancing Nigeria and Egypt in the medals race.

Typical problems at the games included 600 children contracting food poisoning after being fed boxed lunches at the practice session for the Opening Ceremonies, striking laborers demonstrating outside games venues, displaying placards which read "No Wages, No All Africa Games." Women's field hockey was demoted to a non-medal event after the Nigerian team dropped out of the tournament. A melee at the finish of the basketball game between Angola and Egypt forced police to escort the Egyptian team from the court. Haile Gebrselassie, the world record holder in the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs opted out of the games for health reasons, depriving the games organizers of one of the biggest drawing cards of the games.

Despite the difficulties experienced, IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, praised South Africa's organization of the Games, saying "this shows that you can organize big events."

Olympic stars Maria de Lurdes Mutola (athletics-800 m), Penny Heyns (swimming), Gete Wami (athletics, 10000 m) all starred in the women's events. South African pole vaulter Okkert Brits won his second African Games gold medal. Assefa Mezgebu of Ethiopia won the men's 10000 m.

Cameroon beat Zambia 4-3 on penalty kicks to win the football finale.

Sports

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Venues

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[1]

Medal table

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  *   Host nation (South Africa)

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  South Africa (SAF)*716449184
2  Nigeria (NGR)642837129
3  Egypt (EGY)536045158
4  Tunisia (TUN)20202363
5  Algeria (ALG)14243270
6  Kenya (KEN)10102040
7  Cameroon (CMR)6132241
8  Senegal (SEN)610925
9  Ethiopia (ETH)64414
10  Lesotho (LES)61310
11  Madagascar (MAD)43714
12  Angola (ANG)4116
13  Ghana (GHA)221115
14  Ivory Coast (CIV)2158
15  Uganda (UGA)2136
16  Zimbabwe (ZIM)1101324
17  Mauritius (MRI)17917
18  Gabon (GAB)13610
19  DR Congo (COD)1124
20  Mozambique (MOZ)1001
21  Botswana (BOT)0325
22  Seychelles (SEY)0167
23  Congo (CGO)0123
  Niger (NIG)0123
25  Benin (BEN)0101
  Tanzania (TAN)0101
  Togo (TOG)0101
  Zambia (ZAM)0101
29  Swaziland (SWZ)0044
30  Cape Verde (CPV)0022
  Central African Republic (CAF)0022
  Mali (MLI)0022
  Namibia (NAM)0022
34  Guinea-Bissau (GBS)0011
  Libya (LBA)0011
  Malawi (MAW)0011
Totals (36 entries)275273328876

Athletics

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See Athletics at the 1999 All-Africa Games

Maria de Lurdes Mutola of Mozambique won her third 800 metres title in a row. Nigeria won all four relay races; 4x100 metres and 4x400 metres for men and women. South African athletes won all four throwing events for men.

Some new women's events were added: pole vault, hammer throw and 10 kilometres road walk.

Field hockey

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Soccer

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The soccer tournament was won by Cameroon, who became the second team to win this tournament twice.

Gold: Silver: Bronze:
  Cameroon

Coach:

  Zambia

Coach: Ben Bamfuchile

  South Africa

Coach:

References

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  1. ^ "All Africa Games - The Games {www.aag.org.za}". 25 April 2001. Archived from the original on 25 April 2001. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  2. ^ Kenya Hockey Union: All Africa Games Results[permanent dead link]
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