Cameroon’s booty in the competition also comprised 15 medals; 7 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze.

It was a good booty for Cameroon at the African weightlifting championships which ended in the Yaounde on Friday, May 13, 2016. Cameroon won two of the nine available spots for the Rio Olympics as well as bagged home 14 medals; seven gold, four silver and four bronze. In the women’s category which was in its 15^th edition, Cameroon emerged third behind Nigeria and Tunisia in the first and second positions respectively.

Nigeria, Tunisia, Cameroon and Algeria who occupied the fourth position have one spot each for the Olympic Games since the first four teams in the women category qualify for the world sports jamboree. Cameroon again emerged third in the men’s category which was in its 26^th edition, thereby clinching one of the five available Olympic spots alongside Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Ghana in the first, second fourth and fifth positions respectively. It is worthy to mention that Cameroon won the Olympic spot in the women’s category thanks to the prowess of Fouodji Sonkbou who won three gold medals and in the men’s category thanks to Essama Owona who in his debut with the national selection also won three gold medals in the 105kg category.

According to the national weightlifting coach, Mbala Clement, the gold medalists are not necessarily the country’s ambassadors to the Olympics and that the selection will be done on the basis of their position on the international ranking. The other medalists for Cameroon include Matam Matam Olivier who won gold in the 62kg category, Tiemeni Nathalie, Essesse Hortense and Minkoumba Petit David who won silver in the 75kg, and 94kg categories respectively. Yanou Kechanke Jean won three bronze medals in the 77 kg category while Um Albertine also won bronze in the +75kg category.

Meanwhile the trophy of the best female athlete of the competition went to Fidelis Chineye of Nigeria who scored 298 points. The best male athlete was Ben Karim from Tunisia. In his closing remarks, the president of the African Weightlifting Federation, Khaled Mehemed Mhalhel said the tournament in Yaounde was a remarkable one, given the quality of the organization and level of performance by the athletes. He expressed optimism that Africa was going to have an honourable performance in Rio de Janeiro. The closing ceremony was presided over by the inspector general at the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, Dohbobga Macias Nwana Dinga, representing the minister.