Tanzania women’s team will open their campaign in the World Hockey League with Ghana on September 5 at City Park Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya.
The tournament will be held from September 2-8 and Tanzania will be represented by both men and women’s teams in the league that will also involve hosts Kenya, Ghana and Egypt.
According to the fixtures released by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and its copy availed to the ‘Daily News’ by the Tanzania Hockey Association (THA) Secretary, Kaushik Doshi, the men’s team will face hosts Kenya on the opening day.
The teams will play against each other to determine the winner and runner-up who will proceed to the second round of the league to be played at different venues. The fixtures show that Tanzania men’s team will have a date with Egypt on September 6, and the following day they will face Ghana.
The ladies team will take on Kenya on the same day. The two local teams have been undergoing intensive training since last month to prepare for the league.
The men’s team is training under head coach Mnonda Magani, who is assisted by Merica Kahola, while the ladies are coached by Italian Valentina Quaranta, who is assisted by Ignas Abdallah.
Doshi said by participating, Tanzania will be seeded and awarded points that will enable the country to appear in the world rankings. “Such participation will also help us to participate in other international events in future. This is the first time Tanzania is participating in both men’s and women’s categories together,” he said.
Various companies and individuals have come forward to sponsor the national hockey teams and become part of a group of well-wishers. He named sponsors of the men’s team as Pankaj Kansara and R& K Trucking Ltd both of Dar es Salaam, Cultural Heritage and Hans Paul Automech of Arusha.
Others are Charan Singh & Sons, Rajinder Motors and Hari Singh & Sons of Moshi. Sponsors of the ladies team are Techno Brain, Diamond Motors and Jubilee Insurance, all of Dar es Salaam. “We appreciated their efforts without which it would not have been possible to participate in the forthcoming tournament,” Doshi said.
He, however, said the door is still open to other companies willing to sponsor the two teams.
Meanwhile, Doshi said Tanzanian umpire Abdulkadir Mukaddam has been picked to be among the league umpires. “It is a proud moment for Tanzania Hockey to have its umpire recognised by the world body,” he said.
Source Tanzania Daily News