Simba
prepares for new management style
By Express Reporter
Tanzania’s soccer champs, Simba SC is gearing up for a full
corporate running in the near future.
Suleiman Ahmed Saleh, the spokesman for the club’s main sponsor, Mohamed
Enterprises Tanzania Limited (METL) said yesterday that the sponsor and the club
management would thoroughly work on the plan with the contribution from other
experienced clubs in Africa.
Speaking to The Express, Saleh said the sponsors had conducted lengthy talks
with officials of Iwisa Kaizer Chiefs, Jomo Cosmos, Mamelodi Sundown all of
South Africa and the African Soccer Champions, Enyimba International of Nigeria.
“We had met and talked with Kaizer Motaung of Kaizer Chiefs, Jomo Sono and Jomo
Cosmos, they have agreed to come here and help us in our endeavour to turn Simba
into corporate soccer firm. Their visit will help put things in good motion,” he
said.
“People, club management, players and the stakeholders have to be well informed
and educated so that all responsible parts understand their roles in making the
whole scheme a success,” he remarked.
Saleh said their archrivals, Yanga failed in their attempt to turn the club into
a corporate firm because members and other stakeholders did not get good details
of the changes.
“We have to make sure that all members and anyone associated with the club in
one way or another get inside the plan, be part of it so that at the end
corporate management becomes something agreed upon by all members,” said Saleh.
On METL’s sponsorship, Saleh insisted that his firm was still sponsoring the
club in a contract signed to last three years.
The Managing Director of METL, Mohamed Dewji asked the management of the club to
change the present management and adopt a corporate running soon after the
club’s exit in the African Club Championship after losing their second leg match
against Enyimba in Aba.
Saint Mary
shines in youth basketball tourney
By Burton Brown
Saint Mary Secondary School excelled in the Youth Under 15 and 18
basketball tournament that climaxed over the weekend at Don Bosco Court in Dar
es Salaam.
Saint Mary won the Girls Under 15 category after beating Shaaban Roberts 11-9 in
the final and in the Boys Under 18, they won again after beating Don Bosco
28-20.
The host, Don Bosco emerged the winners of the Boys Under 15 category after
beating Saint Mary 27-25. The match saw Mjungu Mseru, Collin Kisamo and Jonathan
Ramodike of Don Bosco performing at their best at the young age of 10 years.
“It was very fascinating to these young boys playing such a matured game at this
tender age,” said Manase Zablon, the coach of Vijana City Bull.
Organised by EMIMA, non-governmental organisation, in collaboration with Dar es
Salaam Regional Basketball Association (DARBA), the tournament aimed at
increasing awareness of sports among young players from various schools in Dar
es Salaam.
Another match that thrilled thousands of spectators was the Boys Under 18 final
between Saint Mary and Shaaban Roberts. Abubakar Mtambo of Saint Mary scored 14
out of the 23 points his team scored.
Chairman of DARBA, Simon Msoffe said the tournament was very successful and
deserved a place in the association’s calendar for next year’s basketball
season.
Rally rivalry
continues next month
By Burton Brown
The long rivalry over who is the country’s best driver between Stado
Team drivers Ahmed Huwel and Pano Calavrias took a new twist after their first
encounter in the Iringa Rally where Huwel beat Calavrias.
Before the competition, Huwel had promised Calavrias his ultra modern Subaru if
he lost to Calavrias.
After Iringa, Tanganyika Motor Sports Club (TMSC) stages the fifth edition of
the National Rally Championship. The race, on June 17 and 18, will be in Dar es
Salaam.
Huwel said his next goal is to beat Omar Bakhressa, Shanto Nahdi and Gerald
Miller.
Rejuvenated by the recent backing from the Federal Bank of Middle East (FBME),
Calavrias said he had to avoid ‘crazy driving’ in order to finish the rally and
impress his sponsors.
“I was there (Iringa) to drive a safe rally not to race recklessly as I was
doing in the past. Under the backing of FBME I am a new man with vision,” said
Calavrias at the Hellenic Club where the prize giving of the Iringa Rally took
place.
The two drivers now plan for another showdown in Dar es Salaam next month.
Young golfer
wins first tournament of the season
By Joyce Macha
Geoffrey Leverian had a successful debut when he won the A division of BIBL
Monthly Mug golf tournament, an 18-hole event held over the weekend at Dar
Gymkhana Club course.
It was the first tournament for the young golfer, who carded two over par net 72
strokes to beat the challenge of Safaraz Daya by one stroke.
“It was a very challenging start that forced me to steady my hand from the
beginning to the end. I thank God I have made it,” said Leverian.Previously, the
golfer was in Kenya where he played on one of the country’s popular courses
before sponsorship from Cargo Stars gave him a membership at the Dar’s golf
club.
Playing off scratch handicap, Safaraz Daya fired the best gross score of the
tournament. Daya posted three over par gross 73 strokes. It earned him a runner
up position in the A division.
With a beautiful score of two under par net 68, Vijay Kaku Patni emerged the
clear winner of B division after beating his closest challenger, Solomon
Waithaka by seven strokes.
In C division, Korean Yong Jin-Cho clinched the division’s title followed by
Johnson Munyua.
Prema Gupta retained her golfing prowess of the late nineties, when she took the
ladies title with the best score of five over par net 75 strokes. The division’s
runner up was Myung Sung-Kang who climaxed the 18th hole with six over par net
76 strokes.
80 golfers took part in the event that opened the high golf season after the end
of the low season, and which was one of the most attended tournaments since the
beginning of this season.
Dar team shines against skilful
US players
By Burton Brown
Despite fielding basketball players from US, Courtland Freeman and
Alvin Green, US Embassy lost against Savio, 45-25 at Don Bosco Court over the
weekend.
It was a friendly encounter in which the Americans displayed techniques that
baffled Savio players. The absence of effective support from their team mates,
reduced the power of the Americans to enable them secure a victory.
US Embassy were the first to score in the early minutes through Courtland, who
had to play under double marking from George Tarimo and Jije Makani.
Savio were leading 23-12 before the breather. However, the second period
addition of the team’s playmaker, Henry Mwinuka changed the pace of the game.
Savio became too hard to catch.
Tallest player of the match, Courtland emerged the best scorer of the match
after firing 16 points followed by Mohamed Yusuf of Savio who bagged 9.
Intercity boxing shelved
for September
By Burton Brown
The East and Central Africa Intercity Boxing Championship will now take place in
Kigali, Rwanda in September after failing to take off early this month.
The Chairman of the East and Central Africa Intercity Boxing Federation
(ECAIBF), Alhaj Shaaban Mintanga said earlier that the championship was due to
last between May 2 and 8. Now the Championship is scheduled for September 27.
He said the tight schedule in the annual calendar of the Amateur International
Boxing Association (AIBA) gave no room for the regional tournament in May. It
forced the body to push the tournament to the said date in order to avoid
interference with other events.
“The postponement will allow our players to get enough preparation and training
ahead of the event,” said Mintanga.
According to Mintanga, ECAIBF has already informed the officials of the cities
to participate about the changes and apologized for the inconveniences caused by
the changes.
The cities expected to send boxers to the tournament include Dar es Salaam,
Kampala, Maputo, Kigali, Kinshasa, Mombasa, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Mombasa,
Mwanza, Bujumbura, Kisumu, Blantyre, Lusaka and Kitwe.
Sayari prepare
for Euro tour
By Brown Msyani
Tanzania’s women soccer giants, Sayari FC began their laborious training in
preparation for the tour of the Scandinavian countries and the US later next
month.
Under trainer Juma Bomba, Sayari expects to leave the country for Denmark and
other Scandinavian countries in July for a series of friendly matches.
The team’s official, Severin Tarimo told The Express on Friday that the team’s
training take place at Karume Memorial Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
He further said, after the tour of the Scandinavian countries, the team would
later leave for the US, the leading country in women soccer.
Tarimo requested the soccer stakeholders, individuals and corporate firms to
help facilitate the team’s intended tour.
According to Tarimo, the management of the team was seeking for financial
backing to enable 18 players and 3 officials to travel to the Scandinavian
countries and the US.
The tournaments aim at searching for the best talents among women players
worldwide.
Sayari have managed to produce many players who play professional soccer in
Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The players were picked from the similar tours.
The team’s keeper Masha Ally and striker Esther Chaburuma were the first to win
professional contracts in Denmark and Sweden three years ago.
Players for Safari Sevens picked
By Express Reporter
Tanzania Rugby Union has announced the names of the players picked
for the Tanzanian team to participate in the Safari Sevens Rugby Tournament in
Nairobi next month.
The national team coach and manager, Tinus Aucamp told The Express that four
players from Dar Leopards, five from Tanzanian champions, Rhinos of Arusha and
one player from Moshi Kili Cats have been selected.
Jay Njwelige, Anton Gufler, Robert Ndedje and Alpha Maduhu represent Dar
Leopards.
Champions Rhinos is represented by John Lloyd, Aker Lindstrom, Tom Halloran,
Mike Beckener and Chris Packer. Isaac Foya is the only player from Moshi
Kilicats.
Aucamp said TRU decided to pick players to give them exposure ahead of the World
Cup Qualifiers penned for a kick off in August.
He said players would assemble at Arusha Braeburn School ground beginning next
week for more effective training before crossing border to Kenya the following
week.
Regions confirm participation in
table tennis championship
By Boogie Juma
Seven Tanzanian regions have confirmed that they will send teams to the National
Table Tennis Championship from June 9 to 11 at Kisutu Primary School Courts in
Dar es salaam.
The Chairman of Tanzania Table Tennis Association (TTTA), Ayn Shariff told The
Express that the forthcoming championship would also include the participation
of Tabora Region, the newest entry in the tournament.
Other regions are Tanga, Coast region, Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Pemba and
Zanzibar.
Players will meet in singles, doubles and mixed doubles categories.
Shariff said the winners in both men and women disciplines would receive both
trophies and cash prizes. The amount will be made official a week before the
tournament.
Meanwhile, Shariff said he would not vie for any post in the coming General
Election that the table tennis body plans to hold on June 15 in Dar es Salaam.
He said he had decided not to contest for the post, allowing his opponents to
lead the table tennis body.
“My career as a top official of TTTA ends officially in June this year and new
blood will take over the seat,” he said.
Under Shariff, table tennis has developed notably in recent years. He has helped
popularize the sport countrywide.