Eseme stuns home crowd to claim 100m gold at Accra 2026

Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme delivered a stunning performance on Wednesday night to snatch men’s 100m gold at the ongoing African Senior Athletics Championships, breaking the hearts of Ghanaian fans at a packed University of Ghana Stadium.

The 24th edition of the continental showpiece, dubbed Accra 2026, witnessed a tense and tightly contested final that required officials to review the results before confirming the final placings.

Eseme crossed the line in 10.25 seconds to claim top honours, edging a fiercely competitive field where just 0.07 seconds separated the first six finishers .

South Africa’s Benjamin Nkoana and Nigeria’s Chidera Ezeakor both clocked 10.31 seconds, with Nkoana awarded silver and Ezeakor taking bronze in a photo finish .

Heartbreak for Ghana

All eyes had been on Ghana’s home hopes – national 100m record holder Abdul-Rasheed Saminu and 200m record holder Joseph Paul Amoah – who had cruised through their heats and semi-finals with commanding performances .

However, the final unfolded differently. While Amoah secured fourth place in 10.32 seconds, Saminu had to settle for sixth with an identical time, as both narrowly missed the podium .

Zimbabwe’s Makarawu also finished in 10.32 seconds, taking fifth place, while Kone of Côte d’Ivoire (10.37s) and Angola’s Simao (10.55s) completed the field .

Eseme’s redemption

For the Cameroonian sprinter, the victory carried special significance. After narrowly missing out on gold on home soil in the previous edition of the championships, Eseme returned with a point to prove – and delivered when it mattered most .

The official results were delayed as race officials reviewed the close finishes, leaving the 40,000-strong crowd in suspense before Eseme was finally confirmed as champion .

Championships continue

The Accra 2026 championships, which run from May 12 to May 17, continue on Thursday with several finals still to be contested .

Ghana’s Saminu and Amoah will have an opportunity to bounce back when they compete in the men’s 4x100m relay, where the host nation is strongly tipped to challenge for gold .

In other events on Day 1, Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan – the world record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles – eased into the final with a season’s best of 12.82 seconds .

Official Men’s 100m Final Results – Accra 2026:

1. Emmanuel Eseme (Cameroon) – 10.25s
2. Benjamin Nkoana (South Africa) – 10.31s
3. Chidera Ezeakor (Nigeria) – 10.31s
4. Joseph Paul Amoah (Ghana) – 10.32s
5. Makarawu (Zimbabwe) – 10.32s
6. Abdul-Rasheed Saminu (Ghana) – 10.32s
7. Kone (Côte d’Ivoire) – 10.37s
8. Simao (Angola) – 10.55s