Gambian athletes returned from the 2026 African Senior Athletics Championships in Accra, Ghana, with impressive performances against some of the continent’s top track and field stars in different events.
Leading the Gambian team was Commonwealth Games-bound sprinter Nyimasata Jawneh, who produced another outstanding performance by finishing 4th in the Women’s 200m final with a time of 23.67 seconds, narrowly missing a podium finish.
She also competed in the women’s 100m event, clocking 11.80 seconds, though that time was not enough to secure qualification for the final.
Another Gambian sprinter heading for the Commonwealth Games, Isatou Sey, recorded an impressive 11.85 seconds in the women’s 100m semi-finals but narrowly missed qualification for the final.
In the women’s 200m, Sey suffered disappointment after being disqualified for a false start despite showing great promise during the earlier rounds.
Rising sprinter Sainey Kijera made an impressive debut at the championships, recording a time of 57.62 seconds in the women’s 400m heats. Although she did not progress to the next stage, her performance highlighted her growing potential for future competitions.
In the men’s category, Ansu Badgie clocked 23.00 seconds in the men’s 200m.
Meanwhile, The Gambia’s women’s 4x100m relay team secured a 6th-place finish in the final with a time of 45.02 seconds, ending the championship on a positive note for Team- Gambia. The trip was funded by The Gambia National Olympics Committee.
