Judokas set sights on All-Africa Games
Dar es Salaam. Judo Association of Tanzania (Jata) has unveiled a six-member squad ahead of the All Africa Games to be held in Rabat, Morocco in August.
The judokas include Andrew Thomas Mlugu, who competed in the 2019 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
Others are Mussa Sheki (100kg), Mohamed Hamis (81kg), Abdullahi Monsward (66kg), Anangisye Nangifwele (77kg) and Thomas Nyundo (73kg).
The judokas earned calls to the national team after excelling during the Zone Five Championship, which took place at the Filbert Bayi School in Kibaha, Coast Region, early this year.
Jata chairman Omary Mgowe said yesterday that the judokas would report at camp a month before the Morocco games roar into live.
Mgowe, also the national judo team coach, said the judokas would undergo adequate training before heading to Morocco for the games.
“Players making up the national team were selected on merit because our target is to win many medals in the All-Africa Games,” Mgowe said.
Apart from Judo, Tanzania will field runners in the Morocco games.
The National Sports Council (NSC) secretary general, Alex Mkenyenge, said the Jata and Athletics Tanzania (AT) have athletes who have the potential to excel internationally.
Mkenyenge said he was optimistic the local athletes will do the country proud in the games, which will see players competing in 23 events.
“The players have what it takes to win top honours in the All-Africa Games,” he added.
