Twiga Stars, swimmers off to Brazzaville for Africa Games

Dar es Salaam. The second batch of Team Tanzania for the All Africa Games departs for Congo-Brazzaville today.

The 11th edition of the quadrennial African showpiece gets underway on Friday with athletes from all countries expected to slug it out for coveted medals.

National Sports Council (NSC) information officer Najaha Bakari disclosed yesterday that the second batch comprises two swimmers, one official and the women’s football team (Twiga Stars) that consists of 23 people.

Twiga Stars players departing today include Fatuma Khatibu, Etoe Mlenzi, Asha Rashid, Sophia Mwasikili, Mwanahamis Omary, Belina Julius, Fatuma Omari, Fatuma Hassan, Fatuma Bushiri and Fatuma Issa.

Others are Amina Ali, Fatuma Mustafa, Donisia Daniel, Thereza Yona, Mwajuma Abdallah, Stumai Abdallah, Shelda Boniface and Anastazia Anthony.

Officials, who will accompany the team, are Bassy Kiondo, who is the head of delegation, Rogasian Kaijage (head coach), Edna Lema (assistant coach), Furaha Francis (manager) and Christine Cosmas (physician).

The NSC official named the swimmers as Ammaar Ghadiyali and Hilal Hilal, who will be under their trainer Rashid Khamis.

The first batch to leave for the Congo capital comprised boxers. They departed yesterday oozing with confidence.

The contingent comprised five people including chef de mission, Henry Lihaya, who doubles as the NSC secretary general.

The boxers making up the Team Tanzania squad are Ismail Issack, Saidi Hofu and Hamad Furahisha. They are under a veteran trainer, Benjamin Mwangata.

Bakari disclosed that the last batch will leave the country on September 11. The teams will comprise athletes who will compete in Paralympics, athletics and judo.

Najaha declined to explain why the Team Tanzania is leaving in batches contrary to previous years.

However, the Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC) secretary general, Filbert Bayi, said shortage of funds has forced them to send teams in batches depending on fixtures of respective sports.

“We have a very limited budget for the All Africa Games, so we decided to send our athletes depending on the fixtures. It will somehow help us to minimise our expenditure,” said the Olympics silver medallist.

Youth Games

Meanwhile, Tanzania is expected to field four athletes at the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games that will take place in Apia, Samoa, from Saturday to September 11.

The athletes are Steven Pius (boxing, light flyweight), Dorcas Boniface Ilunda, Rose Seif Thesuni (athletics, 400m hurdle) and John Joseph Churi (long jump). Churi will also compete in 800m and 1,500m races.

The team will be under coaches Edward Emmanuel Lyakwira and Mwinga Mwanjala (athletics). The latter will also be the head of the delegation.

Bayi expressed optimism that the quartet have what it takes to leave a mark at the Commonwealth showpiece.

“We were supposed to send nine athletes to the Games, but we could not manage that because of a limited budget. Each athlete needs at least $6,000 (Sh12 million) for air tickets,” said the legendary runner.

“Plus other costs, it is a huge amount of money that we cannot afford, so we will send four athletes only with hopes that they will represent the country well.”

The last time Tanzania won a medal at the youth games was in the 2008 edition, which took place in Pune, India. Mary Naali won a silver medal.

Bayi said they had decided to request the government to support them, but backtracked after realising the deficit the current regime is facing as the country is heading into the General Election.

“It would have been easy for the government to support us, but the fact is, they cannot back us this time. We decided to find our own sources of funds, which is enough to send only six people to the event,” Bayi said.

For his part, Mwanjala said all athletes earmarked for the youth tournament were in the right frame of mind, ready to win their country the respect it deserves.

“We can’t be downbeat after witnessing senior athletes flop at major events. The athletes who will go to Samoa have quality to win us medals and I am confident that they will sparkle,” he said.