Description

The 5th All-Africa Games were held from September 20 to October 1, 1991, in Cairo, Egypt. Forty-three countries participated in eighteen sports.

For the first time, the Games were held on a four-year cycle as planned. Egypt had hoped to use the Games to showcase the city of Cairo for a possible Olympic bid. The plan fell through after organizational difficulties once again plagued the Games. A stampede of spectators trying to get in to see the Opening Ceremonies got the Games off to a bad start. Many IOC officials and dignitaries were unable to make it into the stadium in the confusion and returned to their hotels to watch the ceremony on television.

African athletes had claimed seven world championships at the previous months World Athletics Championships. Only one, steeplechaser Moses Kiptanui, decided to participate in Cairo.

Highly partisan crowds, which were granted free admission to the events by the Egyptian government, filled the stadiums throughout the games, cheering the home team to another placing at the top of the medals table.

It was Namibia's first participation in the world arena. The team proudly returned with four gold medals, two silver medals and seven bronze medals.

Obverse

Depicts the logo of the games (pyramid with lines, the African map engraved within, enclosed within a stylized circle) above the Olympic emblem. Inscription "5th All African Games" in English and French, date below.

5TH ALL AFRICAN GAMES
5ÈME JEUX AFRICAINS
CAIRO 1991

Reverse

Calligraphic art state name "Arab Republic of Egypt" in the centre with a torch (above) domination (below), the inscription "5th All Africa Games" above and "Cairo 1991" in Arabic below.

الدورة الإفريقية الخامسة للألعاب
القاهرة ١٩٩١
١جنيه
جمهورية مصر العربية

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Gold
Fineness 0.875
Weight 8 g
Diameter 24 mm
Thickness 1.5 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Cairo Mint

Related coins

Cairo 1991 All-Africa Games

Silver, 17.5 g, ⌀ 37.2 mm