#Sports

Gambia wrestling team commence training ahead of ECOWAS African Championship

Feb 24, 2023, 12:48 PM | Article By: Arfang M.S. Camara

The Gambia Wrestling team are gearing up for the upcoming ECOWAS African Wrestling Championship scheduled to be held from the 17th to 19th March 2023 in Niamey, Niger.

The wrestlers have been working hard ahead of the competition at the Fajara Beach.

The provisional list of wrestlers currently training are:  

  1. Tapha Tine- Club Bara
  2. Arobas- Club Bara
  3. Chart- Ama Academy 
  4. Boy Bala- Jabang Mbolo 
  5. Dorlima- Jabang Mbolo 
  6. Jordan- Nema Saku Ham Ham 
  7. Fatama- SK Gom Sa Rew 
  8. Boy Abuko- Abuko Mbolo 
  9. Aboe Sarr- SK Mbolo
  10. Building- SK Mbolo 
  11. Sachess- BJL Saku Ham Ham 
  12. Malick Nyang- BJL Saku Ham Ham 
  13. Mboran- Club Mara 
  14. Bato- Terminal Mbolo 
  15. Africanuwar- Club Kuto
  16. Lasperr- Bakau Gom Sa Bopa 
  17. Arobas- BJL Tac Tic Ma 
  18. Eduwar Ndimleh- Kerr Serign Mbolo

“We train from Monday to Friday at the Fajara Beach, which has become their regular training ground. The team's technical staff have been working tirelessly to ensure that the wrestlers are in top shape ahead of the competition,” said Ebrima Suwareh, Secretary General of the Gambia Wrestling Association.

SG Suwareh added that the training sessions are intense and focus on improving the wrestlers' technique, speed, strength, and agility, noting that the coaches are also working on developing the wrestlers' mental strength as they believe that wrestling is a mentally demanding sport, and a strong mindset is crucial for success.

According to him, apart from training, they  are also making other preparations for the upcoming competition, adding that the team is working on its strategy and tactics. The coaches are analyzing their opponent's strengths and weaknesses.

Meanwhile, head coach Nyang (Pap) Senghore is currently training a provisional list of 18 wrestlers at the beach before trimming it down to the final selection in different categories.

Coach Senghore will later trim the squad down to five wrestlers (one for each category). The five categories required for the completion are (66kg, 76kg, 86kg, 100kg, and 120kg.)

Gambia has won many individual accolades in the past but is still searching for her first winner's medal (group category) following a 3rd place finish in the 2011 edition held in Dakar.