The 17th African Swimming Championships takes place from May 5 to 10, 2026, in Oran, Algeria, with several African swimmers competing in various events.
Senegalese swimmer Oumy Diop distinguished herself on Wednesday, May 6, by winning the gold medal in the 50m butterfly with a time of 27.03 seconds.
With this performance, the Senegalese swimmer set a new national record and achieved the World Aquatics B qualifying standard for the World Swimming Championships scheduled for Beijing in December 2026.
The qualifying time was 27.15 seconds. An ambassador for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, Oumy Diop also participated in this 17th edition of the African Swimming Championships in Oran.
Also in the 50m butterfly, Noelie Lacour of Gabon won the bronze medal with a time of 28.23 seconds.
The competition was also marked by the performances of Malagasy swimmers. Raharvel Jonathan won the silver medal in the 100m breaststroke, while Océane Rakotonanahary took bronze in the same event.
The 15-year-old also set a new Malagasy national record in the 100m breaststroke with a time of 1 minute 15.50 seconds.
She thus improved upon the previous record held since 1991 by Vola Ratsifandrihamanana (1:15.96).
For Algeria, the host country, Djaouad Syoud won the gold medal in the 200m butterfly on the first day, with a time of 1 minute 00.07 seconds. His compatriot Fares Ben Zidoune took the silver medal in the same event.
Algeria finished the first day with five medals: one gold, two silver, and two bronze.
According to the organisers, nearly 450 swimmers representing some 40 countries are participating in this 17th edition, held at the Miloud-Hadefi Olympic Complex aquatic center in Oran.
The competition also serves as a qualifier for the 2026 World Swimming Championships.
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