Commonwealth Games: Poor Outing By Cameroonian Athletes

Even though the country won three medals, their output at the games leaves much to be desired.

The 21st Commonwealth Games have come and gone. The event ended at the Carrara Stadium in Gold Coast on Sunday April 15, 2018. For close to two weeks over 6,600 athletes and team officials from 71 countries in the Commonwealth competed in 18 sports disciplines and seven para sports.

Cameroon took part in the competition in six disciplines with 42 athletes. The disciplines are boxing, weightlifting, badminton, basketball, wrestling and basketball.

Cameroon’s performance at the games leaves much to be desired. Before leaving the country the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Bidoung Mkpatt challenged the athletes to be worthy ambassadors of Cameroon through brilliant performances and exemplary conduct. However, the reverse was true given the poor showing and misconduct of the athletes in Gold Coast.

Out of the six disciplines only boxing, weightlifting and athletics won medals for Cameroon. Clémentine Meukeugni won bronze in weightlifting, Seyi Wilfired won silver in boxing and Marcel Mayack II got bronze in triple jump. Cameroon finished 32nd out of 71 participating countries.

The performance of team Cameroon at the 21st Commonwealth Games is the worst since their first participation in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. In the last edition in Glasgow in 2014, Cameroon won seven medals; one gold, three silver and three bronze.

Even in weightlifting where Cameroon has had its best performance in the Commonwealth Games, only a bronze medal could be won. The absence of medal hopefuls like Auriol Dogmo, African shot put champion, also affected the performance of Team Cameroon.   

Apart fro...