Twende off to Zimbabwe for women hockey tournament

Tanzania’s women hockey outfit, Twende, is set to face Nigeria’s
Plateau Queens in the opening match of the Africa Club Championship in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, on Saturday. 

Twenty outfits from across the continent will participate in the men and women categories of the tournament, which is expected to come to an end on November 30.

The Africa Hockey Federation (AfHF)-organized event’s fixture, released yesterday, reveals the Tanzanian squad will take on Kenya’s Strathmore on November 23 and then play Ghana’s GRA the following day.

Twende, comprising 13 players, left for Bulawayo yesterday with the team’s head coach, Italian Valentina Quaranta, and her assistant, Ignas Lwena, insisting the side is determined to give its all throughout.

The players are Sophia Saguti, Mary Mhina, Rose Hamisi, Flora Michael, Zuwena Miraji, Gwantwa Andende, Grace Godfrey, Khadija Mohamed, Wambera Shadidi, Elizabeth Chacha, Nuru Abdul, Catherine Elias and skipper, Kidawa Selemani.

Tanzania Hockey Association (THA) secretary general Kaushik Doshi said the tournament is a major boost to the Tanzanian outfit, considering that it will gain experience by playing competent opponents from different countries.

“In a bid to give boost to hockey in Tanzania, it is high time authorities supported THA so the association can secure modern turf for the sport…the move will help to transform our teams from mere participants to serious contenders,” Doshi said.

“It is difficult to compete with other countries, as all of them have modern hockey infrastructure. We can also host the Africa Hockey Club Championship provided we will have the modern facility,” he added.   

Twende had been training at the Magereza Ukonga ground in Dar es Salaam for over a month and played a couple of friendly matches against University of Dar es Salaam’s men’s hockey side with a view to gauge their skills.

It will be the second time for the team to take part in the high profile continental club event.  The squad made its maiden presence in the previous edition in Kampala, Uganda in January, this year.

Participating teams in the ladies' category are Sharkia, Shams (Egypt), Ghana Police, GRA (Ghana), Orange, Strathmore (Kenya), Genetrix Hockey Club (Malawi), Heartlands Flickers, Plateau Queens (Nigeria), Twende (Tanzania) and hosts BAC (Zimbabwe).

The men's category has Sharkia, Police (Egypt), Trustees, Ghana Police (Ghana), Genetrix Hockey Club (Malawi), Nigeria Union Bank, Police Machines (Nigeria), Hippo and Eradicators (Zimbabwe).