Cameroon were strong contenders to host the 2022 African Athletics Championship but the sporting jamboree will take place in Mauritius Island instead.

The president of the Confederation of African Athletics Hamad Kalkaba Malboum said the 23rd competition will take place in his home country Cameroon.

“Our council decided to grant to Cameroon the African Championships for 2022 when we had our council in Qatar in 2019,” Malboum, 71, said.

“Unfortunately because the agenda was full with the Africa Cup of Nations – and costly – we postponed that event and granted the rights to Mauritius to host the event.

“But now Cameroon is ready to host the Championships in 2024.

“[On Thursday] we spoke about this with the (Cameroonian) minister of sports, and we will bring back to Cameroon the flag of the event.

“This is very important for Cameroonians to know that we are going to host the Championships.”