Semenya is preparing to run four gold medals in front of the Coe at the African Championships in Athletics

Twenty-nine years after holding this event in Lagos, when they finished top of the table, the hosts are eager to replicate their feat.

Nigeria won the medal three years ago in Porto Novo, Benin. 2012, but since then, South Africa has taken over

and with an endemic South African contingent heavily involved yet another overall victory seems a big order at an event attended by the President of the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Caster Semenya, the world champion and Olympic champion in the 800 meters, should do a very good job for the 400m, the 800m, the 1500m and the 4x400m. World long jump champion Luvo Manyonga, Sunday (5 August).

Semenya won gold medals in the 800m, 1500m and 4x400m at the last African Championships in Durban two years ago.

The Kenyan team will also challenge hard, especially if it follows talent plans such as Beatrice Chepkoech, world record holder in the women's 3000m, and Conseslus Kipruto, reigning world champion in the 3000m steeplechase, and Elijah Manangoi

But the native nation has real chances of gold in the men's shot put In the form of the aptly named Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, who won the silver medal behind the neo world champion Zealand's Tomas Walsh at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in April

Enekwechi launched 21.14 meters on this occasion, and has a better result of 21.22, which is comfortably more than the record of the championship of 21, 01 owned by Janus Robberts.

Tobi Amusan in the women's 100m hurdles, Ese Brume in the women's long jump, Queen Obisesan in the women's hammer and Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor, specialist in the 100m and women's 200m, top the 2018 World Rankings South African Commonwealth Games champion Akani Simbani, who ran 9.93 this year, is the favorite to win the men's 100m, though 39 Ivory Coast's Arthur Cissé also has chances Botswana's injury-free absence Isaac Makwala leaves the men's 200m open, and local sprinter Divine Oduduru who won the National Collegiate Athletic Association's title to United States last June in 20.10, is on the p hoto

. ] But statistics favor South Africa, for whom. Clarence Munya, holder of the African lead at 19.69, and Ncincihli Tili and Luxolo Adams ran respectively 20.00 and 20.01 this year. [1965900] 4] In the long-term absence of World and South African Olympic champion Wayde Van Niekerk, who is recovering from the injury that he suffered while playing a charity rugby match, the Men's 400m seems to be challenged by Kenyan Emmanuel Korir, who ran 44.21 last year, defending champion Baboloki Thebe of Botswana

Korir seeks to become the third Kenyan to win the title after Samson Kitur in 1990 and Kennedy Ochieng in 1993.

Antonio Alkana of South Africa looks good to retain his 2015 World Champion of Kenya Nicholas Bett is back in shape and favorite.

Nigeria won the men's 4x100m title 10 times out of 20, but again in the South. Africa seems to have too much speed to manage, as long as they can handle the stick …