Revealed on: July 08, 2024 10:13 (EAT)
Kenya’s heavy weights, Dan Aura (in black) flooring Joel Tukai (in pink) in the course of the finals of the Freestyle Wrestling on Saturday. Picture/ Courtesy
Kenya has received the inaugural East Africa Regional Improvement
Event (EAREDT) in Novice Wrestling final weekend in Nairobi by clinching
Kenya scooped 121 factors after excelling in each the Freestyle
and Seaside Wrestling classes that had each the Juniors from below 15, 17, 20 classes
and seniors in each women and men to win the primary ever East Africa Novice Wrestling
Championships.
It was staged on house soil, one thing that nationwide workforce coach
and Technical Director Linus Masheti says has set the requirements excessive within the area.
“Most of our medals got here within the seniors whereas our juniors who we
name cadets have registered combined outcomes. It exhibits that we’re someplace in
between good and common,” famous Masheti.
“Our fundamental intention now and focus will go to the school-going
youngsters as we intention for the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal,” stated Masheti
on Sunday after the conclusion of Seaside Wrestling at Strathmore College in
Nairobi.
Shock bundle Burundi got here in second with 16 factors, as
neighbors Tanzania completed the rostrum spots with 9 factors in third place.
Uganda and Mauritius each had 4 factors and have been ranked fourth
and fifth respectively, as Sudan closed the rating chapter with some extent.
Kenya had 45 factors in Seaside Wrestling, Burundi amassed 9
factors, Tanzania three factors and Mauritius two.
“This competitors has examined our endurance and tactical strategy
for the sport. We want extra of such competitions both house or overseas as a result of
they put together us for worldwide occasions just like the Olympics which I’ve missed
and likewise by so doing, we’re going to increase the requirements of Wrestling in East
Africa, ” stated Seaside Wrestling gold medalist Mathayo Mahabila, who additionally
received a bronze medal in the course of the 2023 Africa Seaside Wrestling Video games in Tunisia.
Kenya Novice Wrestling Affiliation (KAWA) President Anthony
Kariuki and Secretary Common Erick Walucho each agreed that following the
profitable regional Championships, the native affiliation along with
the World Novice Wrestling governing physique will set up extra occasions throughout
Kenya in a bid to develop the game.
“That is the way in which to go and now we have to thank United World
Wrestling for funding this program right here in Kenya. We hope that this will likely be a
common factor, doing it at the very least thrice a 12 months as we goal the 2028 Summer time
Olympic Video games in Los Angeles,” stated Kariuki.
Improvement Director at United World Wrestling (UWW) Deqa
Diamkey was fast to emphasise that KAWA has pledged to help Kenya for the
subsequent coming three years to host the East Africa Wrestling Championships, a
venture that additionally consists of teaching programs, referees coaching, youth
tournaments and camps aimed toward selling Novice Wrestling in Kenya and the East
African area.
As the primary ever East Africa area armature Wrestling Championships
got here to an in depth in Nairobi, 150 athletes from six international locations have proved their
value on the ground mat and the sand in a bid to safe the area’s high
honorary titles in each women and men, however all eyes will now be on Kenya with
the UWW funding that’s aimed toward growing wrestling abilities within the nation
and throughout the East Africa area.
