The president Gambia Weightlifting and Body-building Association (GWBA), Musa Koteh, accompanied by two weightlifters Seedy Jobe and Gibriel Camara, on 25 January 2012 left Banjul for Dammam, Saudi Arabia, for the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) Weightlifting Championship.
The championship will run from January 28 to 2 February 2012.
Speaking to reporters before their departure to Saudi Arabia, the president of the GWBA, Musa Koteh, said they were invited by the ISSF for the weightlifting championship, adding that travelling to Saudi Arabia will motivate other weightlifters to join weightlifting.
Koteh added that the team will have a training camp in Turkey ahead of the 2012 London games and Turkey will be responsible for accommodation during their stay in that beautiful country.
He assured Gambians that they would do their best to make The Gambia proud.
The secretary general of the GWBA, who also doubles as the proprietor of Sky High GYM, Lamin Keita, said weightlifting is a popular sport in the country and its attract weightlifters in the country to come together to exhibit their skills and talents, adding that they want to stage a weightlifting national championship as well try to decentralize the sport by making reach all corners of the country.
For his part, the executive secretary of the National Sports Council (NSC), Mamudou Max Jallow, urged Musa Koteh and his two weightlifters to maintain the good name of the country during their stay in Saudi Arabia.
He also challenged the GWBA to organize a national weightlifting championship.
He expressed optimism that the two weightlifters will bring honour to The Gambia by coming out with flying colours at the end of the championship.
The delegation is expected to return home on 3 February 2012.
