Sport in Cameroon
Cameroon has a past that is filled with disputes but sports has always been a way to unite the Cameroonians. There are traditional sports such as wrestling, though presently, other sports are having a foothold in Cameroon such as football, boxing, basketball, cycling, table tennis, netball and handball.
Cameroon v Argentina 1990
Other popular sports in Cameroon include running marathons, the most popular of which is the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope which draws hundreds of runners every year. There are also some golf courses and rugby is quite popular due to it being a contact sport. However, the most popular sport is football and most villages have their own team that goes up against each other.
The Cameroon national football team made an impact in the 1990 FIFA World Cup. They also have taken home four of the African Cup of Nations titles. Some of the Cameroonians who have made a mark on the international football stage are Rigobert Song, Roger Milla and Marc-Vivien Foe (who died 2003 during a game). The list of great Cameroonian football players will not be complete without Lauren Etame Mayer and Samuel Eto'o, both of whom won the African Footballer of the Year award.
Cameroon first competed in the Olympic Games in Tokyo 1964. In the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games, Cameroon had its first Olympic medal (silver, boxing) courtesy of Joseph Basala. In the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, their men's soccer team took home the gold and in the 2004 Athens Games, their first female Olympic medalist, Francoise Mbango Etome, won gold in the women's triple jump. Additionally, Cameroon won a bronze in the 1984 Los Angeles Games and a gold in the 2008 Beijing Games bringing their total to five Olympic medals. Cameroon is also one of the few tropical states that had competed in the Olympic Winter Games.
Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Cameroon. Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let us know.
Popular sports of Cameroon
- Football (Soccer), tennis, boxing, basketball, cycling, netball, handball, swimming
Cameroon Sporting Success
- 5 of the African Cup of Nations titles
- Men's soccer team won gold 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
- Francoise Mbango Etome won gold in the women's triple jump at the 2004 Athens Games (their first female Olympic medalist)
Great athletes from Cameroon
- Rigobert Song (football)
- Roger Milla (football)
- Marc-Vivien Foe (football)
- Lauren Etame Mayer (football)
- Samuel Eto'o (football)
Cameroon Sports trivia
- Cameroon had its first Olympic medal (silver in boxing) courtesy of Joseph Basala at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games
Cameroon at major events
- Cameroon at the Summer Olympics
- Cameroon at the Winter Olympics
- Cameroon at the Commonwealth Games
- Cameroon at the FIFA World Cup
- Cameroon women's football team at the FIFA Women's World Cup
Past sporting events hosted in Cameroon
- 2022 African Cup of Nations (Football)
Upcoming sporting events in Cameroon
- 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games in Yaoundé
Annual sporting events held in Cameroon
- Mount Cameroon Race of Hope - marathon race
Sporting Facilities in Cameroon
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