Three junior athletes depart for maiden ANOCA School Games

By Joseph Mchekadona , The Guardian
Published at 06:00 AM Jul 24 2025
TOC President Gulam Rashid, who handed over the national flag, reminded the athletes of the significance of their participation in the maiden ANOCA School Games.
Photo: Agencies
TOC President Gulam Rashid, who handed over the national flag, reminded the athletes of the significance of their participation in the maiden ANOCA School Games.

THREE junior athletes departed Tanzania last night for Algeria, where they will represent the country at the inaugural Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) School Games, set to take place from July 26 to August 5 in Algiers.

The Tanzanian delegation comprises two athletes, one table tennis player, two coaches, and a team leader.

Speaking during the flag handover ceremony held at the Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC) offices in Dar es Salaam, delegation leader Nasra Mohammed said the team is fully prepared and eager to compete.

She named the athletes and their respective schools and events as follows: Baraka Fidelis (100m and 200m, Ungumwai Secondary School, Dodoma); Grace Charles (200m and 400m, Ufulumwa Secondary School, Tabora); and Qutbudoin Taherau (Table Tennis, Alimadrasa Tus Saleya Tu Secondary School, Dar es Salaam).

The team is under the guidance of athletics coach Robert Kalyahe and table tennis coach Masoud Mtalaso.

“We are grateful to TOC and the National Sports Council (NSC) for facilitating this trip. Our junior athletes are ready and we hope they will make the nation proud by returning with medals,” she said.

In separate interviews, the coaches expressed confidence in their athletes' abilities.

“I am very confident in Baraka and Grace. They are well-prepared and have valuable experience. Last year, they represented Tanzania at the Junior Athletics Championship in Uganda and also performed well at the recent UMISETA Games in Iringa,” said Kalyahe.

Mtalaso added that Taherau was the junior category champion at the National Table Tennis Championship held in April at Shaaban Robert Secondary School in Dar es Salaam.

Speaking on behalf of the athletes, team captain Baraka Fidelis promised a strong showing in Algeria.

“We are well-prepared and motivated. I assure Tanzanians that we will give our best and aim to bring home medals. With your support and prayers, we will achieve our goal,” he said.

NSC representative Charles Maguzu encouraged the athletes to seize the opportunity and represent the country with pride.

“We thank TOC for organizing and preparing this team. We urge stakeholders to support both TOC and NSC in their efforts. To the athletes, value this opportunity, believe in your potential, and aim to bring medals home,” said Maguzu.

TOC President Gulam Rashid, who handed over the national flag, reminded the athletes of the significance of their participation in the maiden ANOCA School Games.

“You are making history as the first group of African youth to participate in this inaugural event. Go there with discipline, fight for your nation, and return with medals,” he said.

The African School Games were established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between ANOCA and the International School Sport Federation (ISF) during the Paris Olympic Games last July. The Games aim to identify and nurture future African sporting talent.

Beyond competition, the Games also promote education, cultural exchange, and Olympic values. They serve as a stepping stone to major upcoming events such as the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola this December and the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal next year.