Nigeria was declared the winner as the eighth All-Africa Games came to an end in Abuja. Eric Asmougha reports from Nigeria Hosts Nigeria topped the medals table of the All- Africa Games with 85 gold, 90 silver and 56 bronze for 231 medals overall. Egypt, which had expected to finish third, ended up as runners-up with 218 medals -- 81 gold, 66 silver and 71 bronze while South Africa, winners of the previous two editions, dropped to third with 63 gold, 59 silver and 52 bronze for 174 medals. The winner only emerged a few hours before the closing ceremony. By the end of the day, Nigeria had raked in more gold medals than Egypt in volleyball and weightlifting after a medal stand ratification by the organisers and the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa. Algeria followed with 32 gold, 24 silver and 32 bronze. Tunisia won 30 gold, 29 silver and 30 bronze while Cameroon won eight gold, four silver and 23 bronze medals. Other gold medal winning countries were Senegal, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Botswana, Angola, Madagascar, Libya and Zimbabwe, Lesotho, the Ivory Coast, Niger, Tanzania, Cape Verde and the Central Africa Republic. A total of 38 countries won at least one medal in the Games. Twenty-one won gold. Only five states won only bronze. In the overall medals table, Nigerian men won 120 medals, women 108 and three were won in mixed events. Egypt won 132 medals in men's events, 85 in women and one in mixed events while South African men won 83, women 91 and none in mix events. The two-week sports extravaganza ended with a calisthenics display and a show of cultural heritage at the magnificent Abuja Stadium. Just like the opening, 13,000 children took centre stage in a colourful display of dance and shape formation. Over 1,000 martial art players entertained the spectators before the "Sango" man, who spewed fire from his mouth to light the Games' flame, extinguished it by covering the flame with his mouth. Other activities that followed included a cultural dance by various Nigerian tribes and a display of fireworks marking the end of the Games. Messages were flashed: "friendship and unity" and "peace and progress". It marked the first time Nigeria won the Games as host nation. The 1973 Games hosted by Nigeria was won by Egypt. Egypt also won the inaugural tournament in 1965 and the 1991 edition as host. South Africa won the 1995 and 1999 Games as host. Weightlifting, wrestling, swimming, squash, gymnastics and taekwondo were among the events Egypt excelled in. Egypt topped the taekwondo and squash medal table with six gold, one silver and two bronze and four gold, two silver and two bonze respectively. Egypt's largest gold medal haul was in weightlifting with 15 medals. The largest number of medals won by Egypt was in swimming with six gold, 12 silver and 18 bronze medals. Only three bronze medals were won in tennis. The next All-Africa Games will be in Algiers, Algeria in 2007.
