Ahmed Akram Claims Two Wins On Day 5 Of All-Africa Games

(140821) -- NANJING, Aug. 21, 2014 (Xinhua) -- Gold Medalist Ahmed Mahmoud of Egypt celebrates after the Men's 800m Freestyle of swimming event at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, on Aug. 21, 2014. (Xinhua/Yang Lei)(wyj)

Photo Courtesy: Xinhua/Yang Lei

Ahmed Akram of Egypt continued to have a successful week at the All-Africa Games in Brazzaville, winning the 200 fly and 1500 freestyle. Teammate Farida Osman was also a winner, taking a meet record in the 50 free.

Akram started the session in a close battle with South Africa’s Devon Brown in the 200 butterfly. Akram had the lead by more than a second at the 150-meter mark, but started to fade at the end, allowing Brown to make a move in the closing meters. Akram’s time of 1:58.87 is a lifetime best, breaking his own national record of 1:59.70 from 2013. Brown was second in 1:59.28, while Egypt’s Ahmed Hamdy helped boost Egypt’s medal count with a 2:01.54 for the bronze medal.

Though he has a lifetime best of 14:53.66 in the 1500 free from last month’s world championships (where he placed fourth), Akram coasted to an easy victory in the mile today in the Congo with a 15:11.68. This marks the debut of the men’s 1500 free at the All-Africa Games, so Akram’s time will stand as the new championship record. In the absence of 1500 Olympic champion Ous Mellouli, Tunisia’s Ahmed Mathlouthi was able to secure a silver medal with a 15:30.35. South Africa’s Brent Szurdoki was third in 15:35.48.

As for Osman, she won 50 free gold with a 25.12. It broke the meet record of 25.49 that she swam in prelims, which had broken Karin Prinsloo’s mark of 25.84 from 2011. Osman was just a bit off her national record of 24.92 that she swam earlier this year that also stands as the continental record.

Prinsloo captured the silver medal in the 50 free with a 25.79, while Egypt’s Rowan Elbadry was third with a 26.04.

Kirsty Coventry sailed to a win in the 200 IM with a 2:16.05 to mark her third-straight All-African title in the event. South Africa’s Marlies Ross couldn’t keep up with the pace, finishing second with a 2:17.57. Rene Warnes made it a South African 2-3 finish with a 2:18.98.

South Africa managed a 1-2 finish in the men’s 100 back, with Richard Ellis taking the win by the slimmest margin in 55.83. David De Villiers settled for second at the finish with a 55.84, while early leader Mohamed Samy of Egypt faded to third with a 56.31.

Egypt stopped South Africa’s winning streak in the relays at the meet with a gold in the mixed 400 medley relay. Samy, Youssef Elkamash, Osman and Elbadry clocked a time of 3:56.04, while Prinsloo’s 54.81 freestyle leg wasn’t enough to give South Africa the victory and they took silver with a 3:56.27. Zimbabwe was third with a 4:00.78.

2015 All-Africa Games, Day 5 – Results

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