Ethiopia at the 2003 All-Africa Games explained

Noc:	ETH
Nocname:	Ethiopian Olympic Committee
Year:	2003
Games:	All-Africa Games
Location:	Abuja
Gold:	5
Silver:	8
Bronze:	7
Rank:	8
Appearances:	1965 1973 1978 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2011 2011 2015 2019

Ethiopia competed in the 2003 All-Africa Games held at the National Stadium in the city of Abuja, Nigeria. The team wielded a very strong athletic contingent, which brought back a total of five gold, six silver and four bronze medals. Amongst the gold medal winners were future multiple Olympic gold medal winners Kenenisa Bekele and Meseret Defar. In boxing, the team brought back a silver and two bronze medals. At the end of the event, the team had won a total of twenty medals, the largest number that it had won in the history of the Games, and came eighth overall in the medal table.

Competitors

Ethiopia has been a consistent attendee at the All-Africa Games. In 2003, the country entered sixty five events, including thirty one for men and thirty four for women.^[1] The athletics contingent was particularly strong. Among the competitors was Meseret Defar, winner of two Olympic gold medals and twice world record holder, and Kenenisa Bekele, who won three Olympic medals and the first to win both the 5000 metre and 10,000 metre titles at the World Championships.^[2] The country also entered the women’s football tournament, which was the first time that the sport had been played at the Games.^[3] Much was hoped for, especially given the unprecedented haul of fourteen medals in 1999. The team did not disappoint and achieved an even higher tally.^[4]

Medal table

width=200	Sport	bgcolor=gold width=60	Gold	bgcolor=silver width=60	Silver	bgcolor=#cc9966 width=70	Bronze	width=60	Total
	5	6	4	15
	0	1	2	3
	0	1	0	1
Total	5	8	7	20

Medal summary

Ethiopia won twenty medals, consisting of five gold, eight silver and seven bronze, and was ranked eighth in the final medal table. This was the largest haul of medals that the country had achieved during the history of the Games, exceeding the previous record, achieved in 1999, by six.^[5]

List of Medalists

Gold Medal

Medal	Name	Sport	Event	Date	Ref
				11 October 2003	^[6]
				12 October 2003
				13 October 2003
				14 October 2003
				15 October 2003

Silver Medal

Medal	Name	Sport	Event	Date	Ref
				12 October 2003	^[7] ^[8]
				12 October 2003
				14 October 2003
				14 October 2003
				15 October 2003
				15 October 2003
				15 October 2003
				16 October 2003	^[9] ^[10]

Bronze Medal

Medal	Name	Sport	Event	Date	Ref
				11 October 2003
				11 October 2003
				12 October 2003
				13 October 2003
				15 October 2003
				16 October 2003

Notes and References

1. Web site: Number of Entries by Country. 8allafricagames.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20031025234317/http://www.8allafricagames.org/ZZ0000000.html. 25 October 2003. 2003. 27 June 2020.
2. Book: Sears, Edward S.. Running through the Ages. Jefferson. McFarland & Co. 2015. 306–308.
3. Web site: All Africa Games Soccer Draw June 5 - 2003-04-30. VOA. 29 October 2009. 27 June 2020.
4. Web site: All Africa Games > Ethiopia. bestsports. 2020. 27 June 2020.
5. Web site: All Africa Games > Abuja 2003 > Medal Table. bestsports. 2020. 27 June 2020.
6. Web site: Fuchs. Carole. All Africa Games Abuja (Nigeria) 11-16 October 2003. africathle. 27 June 2020.
7. Web site: Todor. Krastev. Boxing All Africa Games Abuja (NGR) 2003. 23 February 2011. Todor66. 27 June 2020.
8. Web site: 8th All-Africa Games Schedule: Boxing. 8allafricagames.org . 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040406225604/http://www.8allafricagames.org/Library/boxing1.htm. 6 April 2004 . 27 June 2020.
9. Web site: Medallists Taekwondo / Médaillés Taekwondo . 8allafricagames.org . 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20031102231922/http://www.8allafricagames.org/TK0000000.html . 2 November 2003. 27 June 2020.
10. Web site: 8th All-Africa Games Schedule: Taekwondo. 8allafricagames.org . 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040610040527/http://www.8allafricagames.org/Library/TAEKWONDO.htm. 10 June 2004 . 27 June 2020.