African sports women have thrilled us this year. They finished on the highest steps of the podiums, they offered us records. And they promise us great performances in 2023. Sport News Africa offers you five sportswomen who have marked the year 2022.
Ons Jabeur, almost perfect
Ons Jabeur continues to make history...the history of African tennis. The 28-year-old Tunisian never ceases to impress. Always ready to bounce back. To amaze with her bunts. In this year 2022, the best African player has been just stratospheric. Jabeur has won two titles, played in two Grand Slam finals and climbed to second place in the WTA rankings. After missing the Australian Open due to injury, Jabeur's season began in earnest in Charleston where she reached the final. She won the title in Berlin, but her biggest success was on clay in Madrid, where she won the first WTA 1000 tournament of her career. She then won a Grand Slam final on her favorite surface, grass. The native of Ksar Hellal repeats and rises to the final of the US Open but it clashes with the boss of the women's circuit, the Polish Iga Swiatek. World No. 2, the Tunisian disputes the WTA Finals for the first time in his career. Unfortunately, she did not manage to get out of her group. This is only a rematch for Jabeur. Since she intends to glean even more titles in 2023.
Tobi Amusan on the roof of the world
Tobi Amusan has had the best season of his career this year. Amusan has won everything. A continuity moreover since the Nigerian had announced the colors at the end of the year 2021, offering herself a new African record of 100m hurdles. African Champion in Mauritius, World Champion in Eugene, double Commonwealth Games Champion (100m hurdles and 4X100m), Tobi Amusan ended the season with a final victory in Diamond League, her second consecutive. And race after race, the 2022 runner-up pushed her limits, improving her times each time. The 25-year-old sprinter broke Kendra Harrison's world record (12s27) in 12s12.
Ibtissam Jraidi, the Moroccan pearl
Like the men's team, the Moroccan women also shone on the pitches. Morocco is even the new power in African women's soccer. And Ibtissam Jraidi is at the forefront. African champion with the Atlas Lionesses, the striker was crowned with AS FAR in the Women's Champions League. The Moroccan Army striker won the "Woman of the Match" award three times in five games, including the final victory with a remarkable hat-trick against then defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns. She also became the Champions League's all-time leading scorer with one more goal than the 2021 winner, Ghana's Evelyn Badu. Great feats that earned the 30-year-old player a flight to Saudi Arabia. Jraidi, who represented the Atlas Lionesses at the U17 and U20 levels has signed a two-year contract with Al-Ahli, which plays in the Saudi Women's Premier League.
Ines Laklalech, forever first
Ines Laklalech has made history. The 24-year-old golfer became the first Moroccan to win a title on the Ladies European Tour, one of the biggest tournaments on the European women's circuit. She won the Lacoste Ladies Open de France. A great performance for this pure product of Moroccan golf, member of the Royal Golf Anfa Mohammedia in Casablanca. Her performance rewards years of investment by Moroccan golf in young nuggets of the white ball.
Faith Kipyegon, unbeatable on 1500 m
Faith Kipyegon is undoubtedly one of the greatest 1500m specialists in history. The Kenyan has won everything this year. World champion, Diamond League winner, the two-time Olympic champion set the second fastest time in the history of the 1500m in Monaco in 3:50:37. She was only three tenths of the 3mn50s07 of Genzebe Dibaba. The Ethiopian had achieved this time in the principality in 2015.
Disappointed, the mother of a daughter promises to dethrone the Ethiopian Dibaba in the future. She will continue in her quest to be the best runner in the history of the 1500m. "This motivates me to work harder. In the future, I will break both the 1000m and 1500m," she promises. I will not lose hope and I will always fight for it. The 1500m world record is beatable." The legend is on its way!
