(Thursday September 01, 2016 Issue)
The
Gambia team to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games returned home on Friday after an
encouraging performance restoring more hope for the country in the next Olympic
Games in Tokyo 2020.
The
delegation was received at the Banjul International Airport by officials from
the Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) headed by second vice president
Abdoulie Jallow, officials from the Gambia Athletics Association, a group of
cyclists from the Gambia Cycling Association and a cross section of the press.
Despite
not winning medals at the Games, the Gambian delegation used their presence in
Rio to network with partners with the aim of ushering more international
support to the development of Gambian sport.
In
addition to the US $75,000.00 worth of equipment and sports infrastructure from
the president of the International Handball Association (IHF) to the Gambia
Handball Association, the Gambia National Olympic Committee leadership had a
fruitful meeting with organizers of next year’s Islamic Games Baku 2017.
The
delegation comprising GNOC president Momodou Dibba, secretary general Peter
Prom and treasurer Ousman Wadda discussed the possibility for the organizers of
the games to support Gambia’s participation as they intend to register nine (9)
sports associations to the games in Azerbaijan.
According
to the GNOC treasurer, Ousman Wadda, who doubles as chairman of the Technical
Committee of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF), the outcome of
the meeting at the sideline of the Rio games was positive as Baku 2017
organizers have promised to explore ways of supporting The Gambia’s
participation to the Islamic Games.
In
another development, another GNOC team comprising first vice president and IOC
member Mrs Beatrice Allen and treasurer Ousman Wadda met the president of Japan
Olympic Committee (JOC) in a bid to get support for martial arts (Judo, Karate,
and Taekwondo) and athletics in preparation for the next Olympic Games in Tokyo
2020.
It
would be noted that The Gambia competed in athletics, judo and swimming at the
just concluded 31st Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Athletes
Adama Jammeh and Miss Gina Bass finished 5th in their 200m heats and were
ranked 38th and 52nd positions respectively while Gambian finish-based judoka
Faye Njie lost to Kazakhstan’s champion
Didar Khamza on technical point after five minutes of tough fight.
The
Gambia’s young swimmer Pap D. Jonga
competed in the 50m freestyle and
finished 8th position with the timing of 27.48 which was not enough to get him
to the second round.
