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60 African Sports Trivia Questions, Answers, and Fun Facts

How much do you know about African Sports? This category is for trivia questions and answers related to African Sports (Sports). Each one is filled with fun facts and interesting information.
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1 How many drop goals were "dropped" in the 1999 World Cup qualifier between England and South Africa, and by whom?
Answer: Jannie de Beer - 5 drops

Jannie de Beer "dropped" 5 goals in the 1999 World Cup,against England in Paris. South Africa won the match 44 - 21.
  From Quiz: South African Sport
2 Ghana first competed in 1952 when the country was still known as Gold Coast. Where were the Olympics held in 1952?
Answer: Helsinki

The Olympics were originally scheduled to be held in Helsinki, Finland, in 1940, but were cancelled due to the Second World War. The athletes from the Gold Coast competed in five events, but didn't win any medals at their Olympic debut.
  From Quiz: Going, Going, Ghana
3 Who played against South Africa in their first official One Day International in 1991/92?
Answer: India

South Africa's return to International Cricket saw them tour India in the 1991/92 season. The official tour consisted of 3 ODI's against India which were the first ever official ODIs played by South Africa. The result of the tour was a series win by India 2-1.
  From Quiz: South African Sports [2]
4 Which South African athelete won the 100 metres at the Olympic Games in London in 1908?
Answer: Reggie Walker

Reggie Walker won the 100 metres at the Olympic Games in London in 1908, the first South African, and ythe first African, to win the Olympic 100 metres title.
    Your options: [ Frankie Fredericks ] [ Daley Thompson ] [ Reggie Walker ] [ Josia Thugwane ]
  From Quiz: South African Sporting Greats
5 Who won the Comrades Marathon 9 times?
Answer: Bruce Fordyce

Bruce Fordyce completed 23 Comrades Marathon runs and won 9 times between 1981 and 1990. He has also won the London to Brighton marathon and set a world record over 55 miles.
  From Quiz: South African Sports [1]
6 Who was the first black player to represent South Africa in rugby?
Answer: Errol Tobias

Errol Tobias made his debut for South Africa on 30th May 1981, against Ireland at Newlands. South Africa won the match 23-15. He went on to win six caps between 1981 and 1984.
  From Quiz: South African Sport
7 Ghana boycotted the Olympic Games in 1976, in protest at the participation of which country?
Answer: New Zealand

The 1976 Games were held in Montreal, Canada. The Ghanaian team, along with almost 30 other African nations, joined in a boycott of the Games to protest at New Zealand's All Blacks rugby team having toured South Africa under apartheid.
    Your options: [ Great Britain ] [ New Zealand ] [ Nigeria ] [ South Korea ]
  From Quiz: Going, Going, Ghana
8 Where did Naas Botha play his first test match for South Africa?
Answer: Wanderers

Naas Botha was selected to play for South Africa at Rugby Union after playing for the SA Under 20 squad. He made his debut against South America on 26 April 1980 at the Wanderers Stadium, recognised as a cricket ground. This was due to the fact that Ellis Park had been demolished in 1979 to be rebuilt.
  From Quiz: South African Sports [2]
9 Who won the Comrades marathon in 1981?
Answer: Bruce Fordyce

The Comrades marathon is widely recognised as the world's greatest ultra-marathon. Bruce Fordyce dominated this event in the eighties, winning in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1990. Sam Tshabalala won in 1989, becoming the first black winner of the Comrades. Fordyce didn't race that year.
  From Quiz: South African Sporting Greats
10 What sport would you associate with Brian Mitchell?
Answer: Boxing

Brian Mitchell won the WBA junior lightweight title in 1986, and ended up defending it successfully 12 times which in itself was a world record. He retired undefeated in 1991 with 46 wins, one loss, and two draws.
  From Quiz: South African Sports [1]
11 Who was the first SA cricketer to take a hat trick in Test cricket?
Answer: Geoff Griffin.

Geoff Griffin, in the second test match against England at Lords in June 1960 -- he dismissed Mike Smith, caught by the wicket-keeper, then bowled Peter Walker and Freddy Trueman. England went on to win the game by an innings and 73 runs. He never played another test match after that, due to his continually being called no-ball for alleged throwing.
  From Quiz: South African Sport
12 Which was the first Olympic Games in which Ghana competed as an independent nation?
Answer: Rome 1960

Having competed in Helsinki in 1952 as Gold Coast, Ghana did not send a team to the 1956 Games in Melbourne. By the time the 1960 Games came around, the country had achieved full independence from Great Britain, (in 1957) and was officially known as Ghana.
    Your options: [ Mexico City 1968 ] [ Rome 1960 ] [ Melbourne 1956 ] [ Tokyo 1964 ]
  From Quiz: Going, Going, Ghana
13 At which race course is the Durban July run every year?
Answer: Greyville

The Durban July, which was first run in 1897, is South Africa's equivalent of Britain's Royal Ascot. The race takes place over 2.2 kms and is run on the first Saturday of July each year at the Greyville Race course.
    Your options: [ Scottsville ] [ Greyville ] [ Clairwood ] [ Turffontein ]
  From Quiz: South African Sports [2]
14 C - In 2005, this South African made a record eleventh win at the Molokai World Surf Ski Championships, ten of which were consecutive wins. He has also won the South Africa Iron Man competition four times.
Answer: Oscar Chalupsky

Oscar Chalupsky has also represented South Africa in the 1992 Olympics as captain and participant in the canoe team. He holds various South African and international titles.
    Your options: [ Stephen Coulter ] [ Guy Collyer ] [ Robert Crichton ] [ Oscar Chalupsky ]
  From Quiz: A-Z/ZA: South African Sports Stars
15 The Molokai Challenge is considered the world championship of solo ocean paddling. How many successive times did Oscar Chalupsky win in the 1980s?
Answer: 7

Oscar Chalupsky won all events from 1983 to 1989.
  From Quiz: South African Sporting Greats
16 What is the name of the cricket ground in Cape Town?
Answer: Newlands

Newlands Stadium in Cape Town lies beneath the imposing Table Mountain which makes it a beautiful location for a cricket match. The first test played at Newlands was in 1889 with South Africa vs England.
  From Quiz: South African Sports [1]
17 Who was the first cricket umpire to officiate in 200 ODIs?
Answer: Rudi Koertzen.

Rudi Koertzen officiated his 200th ODI on 11th July 2009. He went on to stand in 206 ODIs, as well as 108 tests, and 14 T20s. His way of dismissing batsmen, by slowly raising his finger, gave him the nickname of "slow death".
  From Quiz: South African Sport
18 Alice Annum was the only Ghanian woman to make the final of her event at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Which event was this?
Answer: 100m

There were only two female athletes in the Ghanaian team in 1972. They both competed in the 100m sprint, with Alice placing sixth in the final. Her teammate Hannah Afriyie went out in the second round of the heats.
    Your options: [ Long jump ] [ 100m ] [ Javelin ] [ 10,000m ]
  From Quiz: Going, Going, Ghana
19 Who was South Africa's first Olympic Gold Medal winner?
Answer: Reginald Walker

Reginald Walker was born in 1889 in Natal and in 1907 was the South African 100m champion. He battled with finances to get to London for the 1908 Summer Olympics but once he was there he managed, very unexpectedly to all those competing, to beat the field and walk off with the Gold for the 100m. As at 2005 Reggie Walker was still the youngest winner of the 100m Olympic Gold Medal.
  From Quiz: South African Sports [2]
20 Graeme Pollock is considered to be one of the greatest batsmen of all-time. What was his test batting average when he retired?
Answer: 60.97

He made his Test debut at the age of 19, and in just 41 tests he scored 2484 runs at an average of 60.97, with five centuries and 15 fifties. He also captured 47 wickets at an average 39.55 runs per wicket. Sadly, his test career was cut short when, at the age of twenty six, an international sporting ban was imposed on South Africa as a result of Apartheid. He was arguably the greatest left-handed batsman the world has yet seen.
  From Quiz: South African Sporting Greats
21 What is the sound that traditionally starts the Comrades Marathon?
Answer: The sound of a cock crowing

Prior to 1948, a regular starter's gun was used but then a new tradition was started when the race official at the time, Max Trimborn, loudly imitated a cock's crow. This tradition has been continued with a recording of Trimborn being used to start the race.
  From Quiz: South African Sports [1]
22 Who was the first person from South Africa to win the Olympic 100m sprint?
Answer: Reggie Walker.

South African Reggie Walker won the Olympic 100m track event in London in 1908. He set a new Olympic record of 10.8 seconds in his semi final, and equalled it in the final. He was just 19yrs and 128 days old when he won the gold medal.
Paul Nash equalled the then world record of 10.0 seconds four times in 1968.
  From Quiz: South African Sport
23 At the Summer Youth Olympics in 2010, one particular sport was restricted to one boys and one girls team from each participating continent. Ghana's boys team won the African qualifying tournament and were thus able to contest which event?
Answer: Field hockey

The African girl's hockey place was won by the South African team. At the actual Games, Ghana placed fourth, and South Africa placed sixth. The sixth team in the competition, outside the five winning qualifiers, was the host country Singapore.
    Your options: [ Gymnastics ] [ Field hockey ] [ Water polo ] [ Equestrianism ]
  From Quiz: Going, Going, Ghana
24 Which South African who played between 1949 and 1960 was named a Wisden Cricketer of the year in 1956?
Answer: Hugh Tayfield

Hugh Tayfield once bowled 137 consecutive dot balls in a 1956/57 Test match against England which was held in Durban. Statistics for bowlers who have played 20 or more tests show that Hugh Tayfield conceded only 1.64 runs per over during his test career.
    Your options: [ Allan Donald ] [ Hugh Tayfield ] [ Raymond le Roux ] [ Rupert Hanley ]
  From Quiz: South African Sports [2]
25 E - What South African golfer is known as the "Big Easy"?
Answer: Ernie Els

His full name is Theodore Ernest Els. Ernie turned pro in 1991 at the age of 19. He is one of the most successful golfers in South Africa and the world. He is known as the "Big Easy" due to his large stature and seemingly effortless golf swing. He won 62 tournaments in his first 15 years as a professional golfer.
  From Quiz: A-Z/ZA: South African Sports Stars
26 Gary player, one of the worlds golfing greats, won a particular major tournament over three different decades, during the '50s, '60s, and the 1970s. Which tournament was it?
Answer: The British Open

Gary Player won the British Open in 1959, 1968, and 1974. He was also the first non-American golfer to win the US Masters. Player won 163 tournaments all over the world during his career, and was the first South African to win golf's Grand Slam of the U.S. Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, and U.S. PGA titles.
    Your options: [ The US PGA ] [ The US Masters ] [ The British Open ] [ The US Open ]
  From Quiz: South African Sporting Greats
27 Who captained the South African 1992 Olympic squad?
Answer: Oscar Chalupsky

Elana Meyer won silver in the 10000m in Barcelona. Malcolm Todd represented South Africa in archery, and Penny Heyns was the youngest member of the squad at just 17. Oscar Chalupsky is a rower/paddler and has been in the limelight in this arena since his first competition in 1979. He placed second in the Molokai World Surf Ski Championship in 2006, at the age of 43.
  From Quiz: South African Sports [1]
28 Who was the first South African driver win the F1 Grand Prix championship?
Answer: Jody Scheckter.

Jody Scheckter's F1 debut was with McLaren in 1972. He then had his first full season in F1 with Tyrell in 1974. In 1977 & 1978 he drove for Wolf. In 1979 he drove for Ferrari, going on to win the F1 championship that year. He also won his tenth and last GP, the Italian that year. He was one of only two drivers to ever race with the number 0, the other being Damon Hill.
  From Quiz: South African Sport
29 Which South African swimmer was the first woman ever to win both the 100m and 200m Olympic breaststroke event, this was achieved at the 1996 Olympics?
Answer: Penny Heyns

Penny Heyns is regarded as one of the best breaststroke swimmers ever. At the Atlanta Olympics, she won her first gold for the 100 metres breaststroke in a world record time of 1:07:02 and her second gold in the 200 metres in an Olympic record time of 2:25:41.
    Your options: [ Natalie du Toit ] [ Penny Heyns ] [ Kathleen Smith ] [ Karen Muir ]
  From Quiz: South African Sports [2]
30 Sally Little became golf's 12th LPGA millionaire in 1985. She first made her mark by being name the LPGA Rookie of the Year in what year?
Answer: 1971-72

Sally Little went on to win 15 LPGA titles, including three majors.
  From Quiz: South African Sporting Greats
31 Which South African scored the winning goal in the 1953 FA Cup final?
Answer: Bill Perry

Bill Perry was born in Johannesburg in 1930 and was playing as a midfielder for Blackpool FC at the time. He scored the winning goal against Bolton in injury time.
    Your options: [ Terry Paine ] [ Dean Furman ] [ Geoff Pike ] [ Bill Perry ]
  From Quiz: South African Sports [1]
32 Who was the first golfer to win The Open (aka the British Open) in three different decades?
Answer: Gary Player.

Gary Player won The Open in 1959, 1968, and 1974. He went on to win 9 majors. He also set a record for playing in the most US Masters, with his 52nd in 2009.
He was part of the big three in golf, playing in the 1960s together with Jack Nicklaus and Arnie Palmer. He is also known for his famous quote: "The harder you practice the luckier you get."
  From Quiz: South African Sport
33 At the 1992 Olympics held in Barcelona, Ghana took a bronze medal in which team event?
Answer: Soccer

Ghana topped their group (D) during the preliminary rounds, when they beat Australia 3-1, and drew 0-0 with Denmark and 1-1 with Mexico. They then beat Australia again 1-0 in the playoff to win the bronze medal.
    Your options: [ 4x400m relay (men) ] [ Soccer ] [ Beach volleyball (women) ] [ Field hockey ]
  From Quiz: Going, Going, Ghana
34 Which South African soccer (football) player was appointed captain of Leeds United in 1998?
Answer: Lucas Radebe

Lucas Radebe grew up in a family of 11 children in Soweto, Johannesburg. He played soccer to keep himself occupied and in 1989 he was signed up to play for Kaizer Chiefs. He jumped at the chance to move to England when offered an opportunity to play for Leeds in 1994.
    Your options: [ Benni McCarthy ] [ Lucas Radebe ] [ Doc Khumalo ] [ Kaizer Motaung ]
  From Quiz: South African Sports [2]
35 G - At the 2007 Cricket World cup, this South African batsman made history when he became the first player to hit six sixes in an over in a ODI match.
Answer: Herschelle Gibbs

Herschelle is one of the Protea's best batsmen with over 5000 Test runs and over 6000 ODI runs. He is also an excellent fielder, and bowls in first class matches. When Herschelle is on form there is no stopping him, with many centuries and half centuries to his name. However, he also has a fair share of ducks and many matches where he has failed to make 10 runs.
    Your options: [ Matthew Gibson ] [ Peter Gillespie ] [ Adam Gilchrist ] [ Herschelle Gibbs ]
  From Quiz: A-Z/ZA: South African Sports Stars
36 Who beat South Africa twice in the 1992 Cricket World Cup?
Answer: England

South Africa played against England in the group stage on 12 March 1992 in Melbourne, and England won by 3 wickets. They then faced each other again in the semi-finals on the 22 March in Sydney, and England won by 19 runs.
  From Quiz: South African Sports [1]
37 Who was the first woman swimmer to win both the 100m and 200m breaststroke at the Olympics?
Answer: Penny Heyns.

She won both the 100m and 200m breaststroke events at the 1996 Olympics, the first woman to do so. She broke the world and Olympic records for the 100m breaststroke and broke the Olympic record for the 200m breaststroke. In 1999 she held 5 out of a possible 6 world breaststroke records, the first time this had ever been achieved (50m, 100m and 200m, plus same distances in 25m short course pool) -- the one she "missed" was the 200m short course.
  From Quiz: South African Sport
38 Apart from a team event bronze medal in 1992, Ghana won three other individual Olympic medals in the 20th century. These were all in the same event. Which event was this?
Answer: Boxing

Ghanaian boxers won silver in Rome in 1960, bronze in Tokyo in 1964, and Munich in 1972.
    Your options: [ 400m ] [ Boxing ] [ Weightlifting ] [ Marathon ]
  From Quiz: Going, Going, Ghana
39 Who won the WBA junior lightweight title in 1986 and sucessfully defended it 12 times?
Answer: Brian Mitchell

He started his boxing career in 1981, and the majority of his fights were abroad due to the political status in South Africa. He finished his career with 46 wins, one loss and two draws. His 12 successful defences of the junior-lightweight title are a record for that boxing division.
  From Quiz: South African Sports [2]
40 H - She was the first South African to win gold at the Olympics after 44 years. She won the gold medal in the 100m and 200m breaststroke in Atlanta in 1996.
Answer: Penny Heyns

Penny Heynes held 14 records for breaststroke. During the 1999 Pan Pacific games, she broke 6 world records, (many of them her own previous records), and by the end of 1999 she held the record for the 50m, 100m and 200m long course breaststroke, simultaneously.
    Your options: [ Jessica Hardy ] [ Natalie Hayden ] [ Katie Hoff ] [ Penny Heyns ]
  From Quiz: A-Z/ZA: South African Sports Stars
The rest of the questions and answers can be found in our quizzes here:
African Sports Quizzes