As
part of its strategic plan to better prepare Gambian athletes for a resounding
performance at this year’s Summer Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, the
Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) is financing a training camp for the
three Gambia athletes in Italy.
The
200m sensational duo Adama Jammeh and Gina Bass and Judoka Faye Alex Njie are
currently undergoing a training camp in Italy through scholarship from Gambia
Olympic Committee.
Sprinters
Adama Jammeh and Gina Bass, who won silver and bronze medals respectively at
the African Senior Athletics Championship held in Durban, South Africa, in
June, left Banjul on 14 July 2016 for a two-week training camp in Italy.
The
two national record holders in the 200m (male and female) are training at the
Centro di Preparazione Olimpica di Formia
in Formia, a city in the province
of Latina, on the Mediterranean coast of Lazio (Italy).
It
is located halfway between Rome and Naples, and lies on the Roman-era Appian
Way. It has a population (2011) of 36,331.
For
his part, Gambian Judoka Faye Alex Njie has been on training camp in Northern
Italy since the beginning of July.
The
73kg Judoka arrived in Italy after a two-week training camp in Paris, France,
followed by a preparation competition in Hungary.
The
Finland-based Gambian Judoka became the first Gambian judo fighter to win a
silver medal in the history of the All Africa Games (AAG) in 2015 in Congo
Brazzaville, securing qualification to the Rio Olympic Games through
continental quota.
The
son of former black belt holder in karate Ebrima Njie of Njaba Kunda of the
North Bank Region, Alex did not think twice before choosing to wear the Gambian
flag, despite a lot of pressure from other countries.
The
21-year-old, who fought in the 73kg category, lost to the Egyptian champion in
the finals in Congo.
The
Gambia athletes are expected back home on 27 July 27 2016 before departing for
Rio De Janeiro on 30 July for the Games.
Rio
2016 Games will be held from 5 to 21 August 2018 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
