Accra, Aug 24, GNA - General Lassana Palenfo, President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) has commended African countries for their honourable performance at the just ended 10th World Athletics Games held in Helsinki, Finland. The African athletics garnered 23 gold as against 22 in the previous championship thus representing a slight progress.

A statement channelled through the Ghana Olympic Committee said even though at times some of the events were marred by heavy downpours, the African athletes managed to put up a splendid performance. General Palenfo credited the progress to the outcome of the on-going youth-oriented development programmes put in place by the African Athletics Confederation under the leader of its President, Hamad Kalkaba Malboum.

He commended the Ethiopians for placing third overall in the competition and also to Kenya for hauling seven medals, a marked improvement on their previous performance. "Our victory in the marathon and Africa's first ever medal in the heptathlon which was won by Margaret Simpson of Ghana is worth mentioning", it added.

General Palenfo said in the light of this heart-warming performance, ANOCA is congratulating all African athletes for their wonderful display and is optimistic that they would do better come 2007 in Osaka Japan.

He urged that before the next championship in Osaka, all stakeholders should pool their resources together in a bid to unlock 'the full potential of our youth' at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.