SPORTS
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SPORTS |
By Amabilis Batamula
TANZANIA will feature at the inaugural Commonwealth Handball Championships slated for July in Kenya’s capital Nairobi.
Chairman of the Tanzania Amateur Handball Association (Taha) Julius Mbilinyi said Sunday that the on-going national clubs Open would serve to pick possibles for the first national team that would attend the event.
“We are lucky to have the event take place so close from home and we intend to make it happen no matter what,” he said.
Mbilinyi, recently elected Zone Five handball secretary general, said the game was showing every signs of picking up quickly in the country and that the players who sweat training and competing deserved more than national and ECA events.
He said he was convinced that it was high time Tanzania tested her powers against big handball nations, the likes of Commonwealth members apart from the prestige of attending the historical opening of the annual championships.
The championships are a new competition initiated by the Commonwealth handball federation on top of the existing five year-old clubs event for the same countries.
Both events attract participating teams from former colonies of Britain, the UK and for the first time will feature Mozambique and Cameroun, the newly recruited members of the Club that however do not have history with the Britain.
“We are also looking at ways to help the triumphant clubs of this Open event attend the Commonwealth clubs event scheduled for Australia in October.
Meanwhile, Taha is pleased with the pace at which handball revival in the country is picking.
Taha secretary general Ezekiel Mwambalaswa said the record turn up at the Open tournament is proof of good response to the call for the mission.
Last year only three men and three women sides attended the national clubs championships in Morogoro where Prisons women and Ngome men emerged victorious.
The number has shot up to fourteen at this edition including for the first time two school teams and two civilian sides. Makongo and Jitegemee Secondary schools have sparked a new hope in the event while KMGM of Dar es Salaam and Kibaha based squad of Vijana Stars are viewed as pioneers of diverging the sport from the military domain.“We are getting there, slowly,” said Mwambalaswa.
By Bashir Tejani
Allan Shearer has stunned the football world by announcing his intention to retire from internationals after this year's European Championship finals.
The England and Newcastle skipper, 29, said that although he decided to retire from international football, he would like to play, if selected, in Euro 2000 and then bow out so that the manager has time to plan effectively for the 2002 World Cup, England coach Kevin Keegan revealed that he had attempted to persuade Shearer to change his mind but insisted that everyone should respect his decision.
Shearer informed the England manager of his intention to bow out of international football 24 hours before England played Argentina at Wembley last Wednesday.
The news was received with shock to England fans but will give the country's array of younger strikers the chances to forge a meaningful offensive partnership ahead of the 2002 world Cup. He has plundered 28 goals in 57 appearances for England.
Meanwhile, football grounds all over the country in the United Kingdom held a minute's silence before their games last weekend in memory of Sir Stanley Matthews, who died at the age of 85.
Matthews was one of the truly great England players in the Golden age of football after the Second World War.
The Wizard of Dribble's is one of the many superlatives used to described football's greatest right-winger, who received a knighthood whilst still playing.
Son of a professional boxer, he started with his home town side Stoke City in 1929 at the age of 14 as an apprentice and spend his time cleaning boots and sweeping out the dressing rooms.
It was the beginning of a career which saw him as one of the most tantalising of outside-rights.
Within five years, Matthews won his first England cap against Wales while still a teenager. In 1937 he hit his only international hat-trick in a 5-4 win over Czechoslovakia. He will always he remembered for his ball control and body swerve and as the greatest goal provider in the history of England football.
Matthews made his international debut at the age of 19 and collected his last cap in 1956 when, aged 41, he mesmerised the Brazilian defence in England's 4-2 wit at Wembley. Matthews gained 54 caps for England.
In his retirement, Matthews became an ambassador for football and received a FIFA Gold Merit Order in 1992.
Tennis wants international colours
By Miguel Suleyman
THE Tanzania Open Tennis championship that was to run between March 15 and 18 at the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana courts, will now take place in June this year at the same venue.
Chairman of Tanzania Tennis Association, Richard Rugimbana said the championship had to be postponed to a later date in order to give room for more participants from all over the continent to confirm their participation. Earlier reports had it that only East African countries were invited.
Rugimbana said the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in cooperation with the Confederation of African Tennis Associations want TTA to make the event open for any player within Africa.
"Now that we have postponed the meet, we shall have time to restructure different involved systems and preparations procedures. Previously we expected participants from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and hosts Tanzania.
He said ITF and the confederation had advised Tanzanians to avoid limiting themselves in zonal spheres and opt for continental even international circuits in order to create events similar to Wimbledon, French or US Open.
"For this case TTA has begun to make preparations for bigger championships and we have already prepared invitation letters which will be sent to all tennis associations in Africa," he said.
Tanzania's recent major tennis event was the ITF-backed East African circuits in which only one Tanzania, Rehema Athuman excelled in the event that players from Benin, Ghana, South Africa and Zimbabwe topped the excellence for Africa.
Rugimbana further explained that the ITF- backed tournament has stimulated new tennis awareness for both players and leaders.
Says ECA debutants were learning
By Mbonile Burton
TANZANIAN boxers who had their international debut at the recently ended Zone Five championships in Dar es Salaam did not perform brilliantly but coaches are pleased.
Richard Segere, Akwilini Noel (fly), Rajabu Omary, Alister Peter (light fly) and Nasser Mafuru (bantam) were the hosts' first casualties after suffering first round elimination at the third edition of the regional event.
Locken Swai who was succeeded by Remmy Ngabo as national coach immediately after the tournament, said the young boxers were meant to achieve international exposure and that's exactly what they got.
Tanzania that entered 21 boxers on hosting advantage, (a country record for one event), reaped four golds, six silvers and 11 bronze medals.
"They are promising boxers, our future hopes for medals from different championships. We decided to include them in the squad to give them that chance. We had the golden opportunity of hosting, how else would we explore it?" said Swai.
"It is just little experience that let them down. Comparing them with the likes of Hassan Mzonge or Hassan Matumla who have been on the ring for years, you can easily tell the difference," added the coach. Mzonge and Matumla picked gold medals from the tournament.
According to Swai the young boxers needed properly programmed development to make stars of tomorrow.
He was supported by Ugandan coach Dick Katende who said it was a good idea to enter the young boxers in the tournament for exposure. He said experience was the best tool in boxing and sports at large and that one didn't get it overnight.
Tanzania's two teams finished second and fourth overall placed respectively. Uganda finished on top with Ethiopia on third place while Kenya tailed the list. Last year overall champions Egypt did not attend.
Tanzanian zonal (lightmiddle) gold medallist Mzonge Hassan was named the most valuable boxer. That brings the title to Tanzania for the second time after Hassan Matumla scooped it at the first event held in Nairobi two years ago. Other Tanzanians who won golds are Bakari Jumanne (middleweight) and Mashaka Malulu (Super heavy weight).
"Bringing Cricket to Africa" gears up
By Timothy Manasse
THE Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) in collaboration with the International Cricket Council (ICC) has initiated a drive that would facilitate the training of cricket in primary schools countrywide in their efforts of 'bringing cricket to Africa' starting from the grass root level.
According to a TCA development programme drawn for the year 2000, both teachers and students/pupils will be in intensive practicing, a programme which will take at least two years. Within the programme, other activities will be organised such as charity walks, bonanzas and various tournaments within primary schools.
During his recent visit to the country, an official of ICC, Hoosain Ayob said his council was planning to launch a training programme for other people apart from teachers and pupils - journalists who provide media coverage for the game. According to Ayob, it was essential for all, players and journalists alike to be conversant with the game rules for better reporting.
Out of the ten countries assessed by the ICC, only Tanzania has been seen to have the potentials to develop and nurture the game. This fact is supported by the revelation that Tanzania has shown interest in the game way back during colonial days.
However, Ayob noted that what Tanzania lacked was the facilities such as playing bats and balls which the council has promised to provide towards promoting the game and ensuring that it reached to the grassroots level.
More efforts to promote the game in the country under the International Cricket Council auspices will include tournaments to be held at the national level under the guidance of Tanzania Cricket Association. The tournaments will be classified according to ages.
The tournament will include players in categories of under 14, 15, 16 and under 19 years of age. This tournament will help to achieve the mission of ICC which is " bringing cricket to Africa".
The secretary of Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA), Taher Kitisa recently described the game as not only confined to building players physically but also morally. "Owing to the fact that the game can be played anywhere, given the ground is at level, it males it easier to penetrate in rural primary schools at an unlimited scale", he said.
Furthermore, more emphasis in the game has been prompted by the fact that players learn decent manners such as greeting their seniors by taking off their hats or caps, in general good manners.
However, according to TCA Chairman Zully Rehemtulla, the road to develop the game in Tanzania is still far from smooth as the association still faces some financial constraints. It has to pay for the allowances of teachers cum coaches as they are sometimes required to travel in efforts of making the game popular through friendly matches and tournaments,
The year 2000 will also witness the launching of a special Development Project 2000 which will involve both teachers and students to be in an intensive practice a project planned to last for two years. Within the project, several other activities would be held these include charity walks.
The project will also host some inter-primary school tournaments which will be held between February and April where the three districts of Dar-Es-Salaam region will form teams for the tournaments.
The tournaments have already commenced where last week Makumbusho Primary school emerged overall winners by scoring 52 runs and causing only 2 wickets.
Another important event as far as the project is concerned is that TCA has embarked on the scoring and umpiring training seminar before school teams feature in the coming leagues.
TCA Secretary Kitisa recently said that the training provided includes instructing coaches how to score and umpire while school pupils are trained how to finish umpiring by 12 rounds in teams.
The seminar was attended by 24 school children from different primary schools with their teachers cum coaches whereby the key event displayed was how to play cricket within their groups and how to compete.
To make cricket more strong and valued among the primary school leagues and tournaments, TCA has already endorsed for the game to be included in UMITASHUMTA a move that will greatly help to popularise the game.
Albert Mwaitembo, a teacher and coach at Kibasila primary school in the city said the game was easy to grasp unlike other complicated ones and its nature was definitely likeable to children. Mwaitembo added that TCA has played its role fully by provided playing gear such as bats and balls.
A recent interview with a Karume primary school in the city Azan Mselem , revealed his confession that he had mastered the game after an intensive practice of only four days. Definitely the attribute to quick mastery of the game owes to its nature - interesting. Azan also said he enjoys the game because it helps to keep him physically fit.
Fruits of Bringing Cricket to Africa project are now being seen after a recent charity walk organised by TCA realised 2.2/- an amount that will greatly contribute in the training of cricket teams.
The goal of the project which is laying a strong foundation so that in the near future Tanzania may participate might be reached if the same vigour in training is maintained.
By Mbonile Burton
SIX Dar es Salaam women cyclists will participate in race on March 7 to mark the World Women Day.
The Tanzania Cycling Association organised event will take place in Tanga where national celebrations of the day are fixed.
Coach Kabulwa Bundara said the team is under-going intensive training at the National Stadium ground in the City in preparations for the same.
The event will also bring on paddles women from the hosting town of Tanga, Arusha, Coast Region, Pemba and Zanzibar.
Meanwhile, cycling has been incorporated in the national inter-secondary schools games and all is set to have girl riders take part in the immediate next event in July.
Bundara said already four Dar es Salaam schools cyclists have started training for the races. He named schools as Jitegemee, Mzizima, Jangwani and Forodhani.
However, Bundara said girls have shown immense interest in the sport. Mzizima secondary school alone has registered 20 girls who are currently training.
By Mbonile Burton
TWENTY FOUR junior Volleyballers assume training this week in Dar es Salaam ahead of the foundational East and Central Africa Junior Challenge Cup slated for Moshi between March 29 and April 1.
The Tanzania Amateur Volleyball Association (Tava) technical committee chairman Nelson Mbasha who is also the teams head coach said the off-camp training sessions would be held at Jitegemee secondary school.
Mbasha said the team would have a dozen boys and girls equally and that they would be named inter-secondary schools games' combine.
According to Mbasha, the teams are to receive the services of Metro coach Emanuel Essayas and Lameck Mashindano as assistant coaches. Preparations were in high gear, he said, to get the teams in residential camp.
The head coach said the boys' team had an advantage over that of girls' that they have played together as a team during the Yellow Pages tournament last year, "Although they didn't win any honours but they were exposed to challenge and were given a chance to practice team work.
"What worries me more is the girls' side which is brand new. The players know each other but have never had any assignment together. That means they are starting from zero," said Mbasha.
On a disappointing note though, Tanzania is sending only the two sides at the event despite the six teams allowance for each member country given by the organizing East and Central Africa Volleyball Confederation (Ecavco).
Mbasha defended the move saying there was little time to create six strong teams, "We decided then to focus our resources and attention on the two teams. We see that a more constructive step than just sending many teams that won't deliver," he said.
Other countries in the tournament are Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti and Eritrea.