Stakes high as Africa Judo Championships begin
By Benson Mbare, July 21, 2022
The long-awaited Africa Judo Championships begin today with a guarantee of thrilling action for judo enthusiasts for the next four days.
Judokas drawn from more than 20 countries have already arrived for the continental showpiece that will run until Sunday, at the Kasarani indoor arena.
Mozambique, Burundi, Comoros, Angola, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Morocco were among the countries that arrived in the country on Tuesday night just hours after the arrival of Egypt and South Africa who were the first two teams to land in the country.
The Kenyan team which boasts of the biggest number of players, 48, exudes the confidence of performing better in the championship as the country hosts the first major judo tournament ever.
All the participants are being housed at the Movenpick hotel at Westlands Nairobi for the entire duration of the event.
Kenya Judo Association (KJA) chairman Shadrack Maluki reckons the country will reap handsomely from the event.
“The event means a lot for Kenya and I believe it will open many other opportunities,” Maluki said.
“We appreciate all the efforts the government has made to develop the sport in the country. This particular event wouldn’t have materialized without the government’s support,” he added. The rugby teams will now shift focus to the Safari sevens and the Kenya Cup which is the longer version of the game.