Nigeria Clinches Third Position at 2026 African Track Cycling Championships
Oru Leonard
Team Nigeria delivered a commendable performance at the 2026 African Track Cycling Championships, finishing third overall at the prestigious continental competition held at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Sunday.
According to reports from the National Sports Commission Media Department, Team Nigeria concluded the championship with an impressive haul of six additional medals on the final day of competition, further strengthening the nation’s standing among Africa’s cycling elite.
A total of 125 medals were awarded during the championship, consisting of 44 gold, 43 silver, and 38 bronze medals across various track cycling events.
At the end of the competition, South Africa emerged overall champions after securing 22 gold, 11 silver, and 11 bronze medals. Egypt finished in second position with 10 gold, eight silver, and nine bronze medals, whi the host nation Nigeria claimed third place with an outstanding tally of nine gold, nine silver, and 11 bronze medals.
Algeria occupied fourth position with three gold, 13 silver, and six bronze medals, while Benin Republic rounded off the top five with two silver and one bronze medal.
Speaking after the championship, the Technical Director of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN), Mohammed Bashir, expressed satisfaction with Team Nigeria’s overall performance, describing the outing as highly encouraging despite missing out on the overall title.
Bashir explained that Nigeria strategically concentrated on events where the athletes had stronger medal prospects. He noted that the country did not participate in certain categories, including the Omnium and some men’s events, yet still achieved remarkable results.
According to him, hosting the championship in Abuja created significant opportunities for the growth and development of cycling in Nigeria, particularly among young people and school communities who have now shown increasing interest in the sport.
He further stated that staging the championship locally enabled Nigeria to field a larger number of cyclists than would ordinarily have been possible if the event had taken place outside the country due to the high cost of international travel and logistics.
Bashir also revealed that the championship produced several emerging talents and new African champions, describing the competition as an important platform for talent discovery and athlete development across the continent.
He specifically praised cyclist Osaretin Godwin for her exceptional performance during the championship. He also celebrated Nigeria’s historic achievement of winning its first-ever medal in a track cycling event, as well as the men’s elite team sprint victory, which secured qualification for the World Championship.
Earlier in the month, Nigeria had also recorded a dominant performance at the 3rd CAC Para-Cycling Championships held in Abuja from May 9 to May 11.
Team Nigeria finished top of the medal table after winning nine gold, five silver, and two bronze medals. Egypt placed second with five gold, six silver, and three bronze medals, while Kenya finished third with five gold, one silver, and three bronze medals.
South Africa secured fourth place with three gold and one bronze medal, while Algeria completed the top five standings with two silver medals.
The championships featured participation from eight African countries, namely Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Benin Republic, and host nation Nigeria.
The successful hosting of both championships further reinforces Nigeria’s growing status as a major hub for cycling development in Africa and highlights the National Sports Commission’s commitment to promoting sports excellence and nurturing young talents across the country.
(NSC Media)
