Rahma Tahiri of Morocco won the women's half marathon in Kinshasa ©Royal Moroccan Athletics Federation

Morocco and Romania claimed the bulk of the gold medals on the final day of athletics action at the Francophone Games in Kinshasa.

It was a jam-packed day of track and field events with 19 gold medals on offer in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Morocco won eight of those, while Romania clinched five, and Ivory Coast and Djibouti both bagged two and Mauritius and Senegal claimed the others.

Rahma Tahiri set the ball rolling for Morocco when she won the women’s half marathon in 1hr 13min 23sec, beating compatriot Hanane Qallouj who posted 1:13:46 for silver.

It was a second gold medal of Kinshasa 2023 for Tahiri having triumphed in the women’s 5,000 metres yesterday.

There was also Para athletics success for Morocco with Ayoub Sadni winning the men’s T45-47 200m title.

Ikram Ouaaziz emerged victorious from the women’s 3,000m steeplechase in 9:52.74.


Saad Hinti and Noura Ennadi captured the respective men’s and women’s 400m hurdles crowns.

Asia Raziki overcame fellow Moroccan Soukaina Hajji to clinch women’s 800m gold in 2:09.45.

Morocco underlined their dominance on the track with victory in the men’s and women’s 4x400m relay finals.

Romania also had a day to remember, with Ionuţ Vasilică Pleşu and Mihaela Popa securing the respective men's and women's 20km walk titles.

Alexandru Novac produced a stunning throw of 84.75m to clinch men's javelin throw gold, beating compatriot Denis Adrian Both who registered 71.89 for silver.

Bianca Ghelber delivered another gold for Romania when she came out on top in the women's hammer throw final.

Romania’s last gold came courtesy of Marius Constantin Musteaţă’s success in the men’s shot put final.


Ivory Coast enjoyed a sprint double as Jessika Gbai won the women’s 200m title in 22.43 before Cheickna Traore claimed the men’s 200m crown in 20.37.

Djibouti’s two golds were won by Mohamed Ismail Ibrahim and Moumin Bouh Guelleh in the men’s 5,000m and men’s half marathon respectively.

Elsewhere, Joseph Dezardin Propser of Mauritius secured men's high jump gold and Senegal’s Saly Sarr sealed the women’s triple jump title.

Romania increased their gold medal tally further in judo when Alexandru Sibisan emerged victorious from the men's under-90 kilogram category.

Aina Laura Rasoanaivo Razafy of Madagascar won women’s under-70kg gold, Kosovo’s Shpati Zekaj captured the men’s under-100kg title and Mauritius' Marine Loanne Tracy clinched the women’s over-78kg crown.

There were also two titles for France as Khamzat Saparbaev and Liz N'Gelebeya triumphed in the men’s over-100kg and the women’s under-78kg categories respectively.

Competition is due to continue tomorrow with medals set to be awarded in basketball, judo and African wrestling.