Gambian athletes prepare for Zone II athletics championship

Gambian Athletes that are set to represent the Gambia Athletics Association (GAA) in the upcoming Zone II Athletics Championship, to be held in Dakar, Senegal from 14-16 May, 2010, have begun an intensive preparatory programme, ahead of the big event at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.

Momodou Lamin Kujabi and his comrade Fatou Sowe, both active Gambian athleteswho spoke to this reporter at their training ground at the Independence Stadium recently expressed confidence that they would be able to raise the Gambian flag to the higher heights in Dakar, when the event gets underway next month.

The duo, who were fortunate to be included in the selection exercise conducted by the GAA last Tuesday at the Independence Stadium in preparation for the Zone II event, added "we are looking forward to take part in the championship so as to help our country achieve the desired result in Dakar."

Kujabi who has accumulated a wealth of experience with a series of international exposure is currently the most outstanding athlete in the 400m throughout the country.

"I am looking forward to doing my best in Dakar," Kujabi who represented the GAA in series of international athletics championships in countries like Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Benin, India, Togo, Senegal, Mali, and Italy was quoted as saying by this reporter, shortly after his training session at the Independence Stadium.

For her part, Fatou Sowe, another outstanding athlete who claimed to have been the most outstanding young athlete in her event with 3 international exposure, said it could be recalled that she was chosen by the GAA to represent the country in last year's World Junior Athletics Championship in Italy, but the former Gambia Senior Secondary School student could not make the trip, due to the lack of financial support.

A three-day athletics championship is expected to bring together Mali, Guinea Bissau, Conakry, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and the host Senegal.

The Gambian athletes will also take part in the Olympic Youths Athletics competition in Dakar, a few days after the Zone II Championship, Kujabi informed Pointsport.