Bella Bell-Gam

Nigerian pentathlete

Bella Bell-Gam

Personal information

Born|  (1956-08-24) 24 August 1956 (age 67)
Rivers State

Bella Bell-Gam (born August 24, 1956, in Rivers State) is a retired Nigerian pentathlete.

## Career

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Bell-Gam was born in Opobo Town, Rivers State, she has a twin sister, Judy who was also an athlete. Both sisters attended Government Primary School, Afikpo, Methodist School, Uwani, Enugu and Union Secondary School, Ikot Ekpene. The girls where in Enugu when the Civil War broke out and moved southwards to Nnewi. At the end of the war, Bell-Gam returned to school in Ikot Ekpene. In 1973, she represented her school in high jump at the Hussey Shield and Lady Manuwa competitions. At the 2nd National Sports Festival in 1975, she switched to hurdles and won gold in her event. After secondary education, she attended Calabar College of Technology and represented the college at the NIPOGA games participating in the hurdles, high jump and long jump events. In the 3rd National Sports Festival, she chose to focus on high jump and long jump. From there, she was selected to represent the country in the Ecowas games and later at the All Africa Games.[1] She won the gold medal in the 1978 All Africa Games held in Algiers, Algeria with 3709 points.[2] She also won bronze medals in the 100m hurdles and long jump during the same competition achieving a time & distance of 13.99s and 6.12m respectively.[3][4]

## References

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1. ^ Ibikunle, Supo (September 1978). "Queens of the tracks". Spear Magazine. Lagos: Daily Times.
2. ^ Todor Krastev. "Athletics All Africa Games Alger (ALG) 1978". todor66.com.
3. ^ "All Africa Games — Nigeria Sports World". Archived from the original on 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2011-05-16.
4. ^ "All-Africa Games". gbrathletics.com.

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African Games champions in women's heptathlon

* 1978†: Bella Bell-Gam (NGR)
* 1987: Yasmina Azzizi-Kettab (ALG)
* 1991: Rita Izojie (NGR)
* 1995: Oluchi Elechi (NGR)
* 1999: Maralize Fouché (RSA)
* 2003–11: Margaret Simpson (GHA)
* 2015: Uhunoma Osazuwa (NGR)
* 2019: Marthe Koala (BUR)
* 2023: Odile Ahouanwanou (BEN)

† Held as pentathlon

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African Champions in women's long jump

* 1979: Bella Bell-Gam (NGR)
* 1982: Jacinta Serete (KEN)
* 1984–85: Marianne Mendoza (SEN)
* 1988: Juliana Yendork (GHA)
* 1989–90: Chioma Ajunwa (NGR)
* 1992: Karen Botha (RSA)
* 1993: Christy Opara-Thompson (NGR)
* 1996: Grace Umelo (NGR)
* 1998: Chioma Ajunwa (NGR)
* 2000: Kéné Ndoye (SEN)
* 2002: Françoise Mbango Etone (CMR)
* 2004: Kéné Ndoye (SEN)
* 2006: Joséphine Mbarga-Bikié (CMR)
* 2008: Janice Josephs (RSA)
* 2010–12: Blessing Okagbare (NGR)
* 2014–16–18: Ese Brume (NGR)
* 2022: Marthe Koala (BUR)

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African Champions in women's heptathlon and pentathlon

* 1979*: Bella Bell-Gam (NGR)
* 1982–85: Chérifa Meskaoui (MAR)
* 1988–89: Yasmina Azzizi-Kettab (ALG)
* 1990: Albertine Koutouan (CIV)
* 1992–93: Chrisna Oosthuizen (RSA)
* 1996: Caroline Kola (KEN)
* 1998: Patience Itanyi (NGR)
* 2000: Yasmina Azzizi-Kettab (ALG)
* 2002–04: Margaret Simpson (GHA)
* 2006: Janice Josephs (RSA)
* 2008: Patience Okoro (NGR)
* 2010: Margaret Simpson (GHA)
* 2012: Yasmina Omrani (ALG)
* 2014: Marthe Koala (BUR)
* 2016: Uhunoma Osazuwa (NGR)
* 2018–22: Odile Ahouanwanou (BEN)

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