Gambia
Finish-based Judoka Faye Njie continues to cement his position among African
top ranks in a sport dominated by North Africans.
After
an impressive debut at the All African Games in Brazzaville in 2015, where he
won a medal and eventually clinched his place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games,
the 24-year-old Gambian Judoka over the weekend won a Silver medal at the 2017
African Senior Judo Championships held in Antananarivo, Madagascar, from the
14-16 April, 2017.
Faye
Njie, who financed his own trip to the African Championships in Madagascar
ranging from air ticket to accommodation and feeding, competed in the 73 kgs
and came out second in the category made of 17 competitors from 14 countries.
Mohamed
Mohyeldin from Egypt, who defeated Faye Njie in the final, clinched the Gold
Medal while Oussama Djeddi of Algeria settled for the Bronze medal.
In
the highlights of the competition, Faye Njie defeated Vunge Antunes of Angola
in the first round before getting over Affro Rudolphe of Cote D’Ivoire in the
quarterfinals, the same man he defeated him at the All African Games in
Brazzaville in 2015.
In
the semifinal Judoka Faye outclassed the giant Mahmoud Omar of Egypt before
losing to the African number one in this category Mohyelden Mohamed from Egypt,
who happens to be the same man that denied him the top podium at the 2015
All African Games in Brazzaville.
Faye
Njie returned to his base in Finland on Sunday to continue preparations ahead
of the 4th Islamic Games in Baku, Azerbaijan, in May.
It
would be noted that 188 judokas from all over Africa took part in the
Championship in Madagascar.
