Tanzania's gymnastics academy hosts Zambia’s ravens in historic event

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s professional gymnasts today face Zambian rivals in the first ever competition in the history of the country.

The competition will be held at the ASAS Starlight arena complex at Msasani in Dar es Salaam, according to Tanzania’s gymnastic professional managing director Maiju Missokia.

Missokia said that the event will feature 34 kids, who will be split into three groups. The competition will have gymnasts battling for gold, ruby and diamond levels, whereby each team will have eight gymnasts.

She explained that each team will have gold level, and Gymnastics Academy also have six gymnasts in ruby level and a gymnast in diamond level and the competition will be on floor exercise, which is one of the apparatuses that gymnasts both male and female compete in the Olympics. The gymnasts are Lisa Karani, who will compete in diamond level while ruby level are Andra Chikowore, Elliot Boon, Elisia Mramba, Antonina Talbot, and Vera Talbot

 Gold level gymnasts are Ella Lombaerts, Hamza Ali Abdalla, Nakazel Tenga, Doireann Kayabu, Giulia Taffuri, Avni Mann, Caleb Hosea and Alex Karani.

“Our counterparts are yet to have access to other apparatuses but we are hoping to add more to the programme in the coming years. The programme is reaching new levels in the country as we had our qualifying competition in March with 34 kids, who competed and some were selected to represent the club in the first international gymnastics competition in the country,” said Maiju.

 She said gymnastics in East Africa is still not popular and that if all goes well it will be held annually after having started in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, which will all be included in the future.