Manara to lead Chess teams to Baku for Olympiad meet
DAILY NEWS REPORTER 27 AUGUST 2016
TANZANIA men’s and ladies chess teams are set to leave the country on Wednesday for Baku, Azerbaijan, ready for the 42 edition of Chess Olympiad Championship scheduled to be held from Thursday to September 14 this year.
The team that was presented with the national flag by National Sports Council (NSC) Secretary General Mohamed Kiganja in Dar es Salaam yesterday consists of 12 players (six men’s and six ladies).
They will be under head of team delegation Sunday Manara, who is the national soccer legend. Tanzania Chess Association (TCA), official Geoffrey Mwanyika, said Tanzania will enter the ladies team for the first time in the tournament.
Mwanyika named selected national ladies team players as Captain Kangwa William, Fena Ngwamwambwa, Aida Lalika, Martha Anawa, Vidah Femmie and Navin Choudary.
Men’s category team consists of Captain Mbwana Khojana, Master Nurdin Hassuji, Hemed Mlawa, Mwanyika himself, Master Yusuph Mdoe and Mwaisumbe Emanuel. Mwanyika said that the team is well prepared ready for the big battle.
“It is certainly going to be a tough tournament because about 180 countries are expected to take part, but we are prepared ready for any challenge from other top teams,” he said.
He added that they are happy to have ladies at this year’s event. In previous event held in Norway in 2014 Tanzania managed to enter only men’s team.
NSC Secretary General Kiganja appealed to the team to go Azerbaijan and fly high the national flag by winning top honours at the event.
He also wished them well. He aid glowing tribute to TCA for the efforts that the association was putting to develop the game in the country.
On his part, Manara also appealed to former soccer players to take on the game, describing it as a wonderful experience different from soccer.
Meanwhile, the World Chess Federation (FIDE) has picked Tanzanian Vinay Choudary to be among referees at the tournament.
Source: http://www.dailynews.co.tz
1 comment