Nigeria and South Africa made history at the African Championships in Cairo, Egypt, which served as a Tokyo 2020 qualifier. Nigeria earned their first ever Olympic gymnastics qualification, while South Africa will be represented by two female gymnasts at the Olympic Games for the first time in history.

Nigeria’s Uche Eke became the first gymnast, male or female, from his country to qualify to the Olympics. American-born Eke, who competed for the University of Michigan, placed third in the all-around behind Mohamed and Ziad Khater (Egypt). The placement earned him the second Olympic qualification available to African gymnasts at this event. Despite placing second, Khater was ineligible for the second quota due to the one per country allowance.

Zeina Ibrahim from Egypt and Naveen Daries of South Africa earned the two available qualifying spots for the women. Posting 50.20, Ibrahim won the all-around, ahead of her teammate Farah Hussein, while the South African Daries was third. Daries will be joining her teammate, Caitlin Rooskrantz, at the Tokyo Games. Rooskrantz earned her qualification through the 2019 World championships. It would be the first time South African women’s gymnastics has qualified two gymnasts to the Olympic Games, and the first time since 2004 that South African female gymnasts will be featured at the Olympics.

paulolee:
congrats