Although African Sportsmen have faced severe racial, social, and economic hardships, nothing has stopped them from being at the top of their game and rising before everyone else by shattering various records in multiple fields, whether football, cricket, or running. They have truly set amazing examples for their community and have used their fame and popularity as a united front against racial discrimination. Mentioned in this article are some of the best African sportsmen who became the trendsetters in their respective games.
1. Jackie Robinson – First Black Baseball Player
Jackie Robison , originally known as Jack Roosevelt Robinson, was the first black baseball player who joined one of the major American leagues at the age of 15 in 1947. He broke the color barrier and discrimination among many in America, became a living milestone, had an excellent career, and led his team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, to a World Series Championship in 1955.
2. George Weah – Award-Winning Footballer
George Weah was famous for being one of the most lethal strikers in football in the early ’90s. He was a top scorer, accumulated seven titles, and was one of the first players to win a Ballon d’Or. He is one of the extremely talented and richest people in Africa and currently has a net worth of around $29.6 Million. At the age of 54, he is currently serving as the President of Liberia.
3. Usain Bolt – Greatest Sprinter of all times
Now, who isn’t familiar with Usain Bolt, who is one of the fastest sprinters of all time? He is an eight-time gold medalist, the only sprinter to win 100m and 200m titles at the Olympics, and has broken three world records. He has been nicknamed the Lightning Bolt due to his incredible speed and has a current world record set of 9.58 seconds for 100 meters.
4. Michael Jordan – Record-breaking basketball player
Michael Jordan, who started his basketball career in 1984, is considered one of the best basketball players ever as he completed dominated the game between the 1980s to the 1990s. He is one of the most decorated players in the NBA as he led his team, the Chicago Bulls, to six basketball championship games, and he won the most valuable player NBA award five times. He is known for his ability as a basketball all-rounder, whether it was scoring, passing, or even defense.
5. Jesse Owens – Gold Medalist Athlete
Owens was an African American Athlete best known for his performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, as he was the first one to have ever won 4 gold medals at the same Olympics game. He specialized in the long jump and the sprint and is remembered as the greatest and most famous athlete in history. Unfortunately, due to heavy smoking, he was passed away with lung cancer at the age of 66. After his death, a street was named after him, and he was also awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.