Senegal's Moussa Konate forces a tie against host Britain, while the Cameroon Lionesses still stand strong despite loss

          
           Moussa Konate celebrates a goal while the Lionesses still stand strong, hoping to roar back!

Soccer Olympic events are a step ahead of all other Olympic events due to scheduling. Although the Games officially begin today, the soccer events started on July 25th, with women's soccer, followed by men's soccer on July 26th. Not a very strong start for the African teams ! The only two African women's soccer teams which qualified for the Olympics faced tough opponents in their 1st round matches. The Cameroon Lionesses were overwhelmed with a tactically sound Brazilian women's team, as they lost 5-0, while the South African women's team could not find their rhythm in a 4-1 loss to Sweden. The Cameroon Lionesses are still standing strong, hoping to roar back when they meet Britain on Saturday.

On the men's side, Senegal, Gabon and Morocco fought hard to finish with a tie against their opponents while Egypt lost 3-2 to Brazil.

Cheers !! Here's to shaking off a tough start and getting ready for wins in Round 2 !!

Results

Women's Soccer: July 25th

Group E: Cameroon Lost 0-5 to Brazil
Group F: South Africa loses 1-4 to Sweden

Men's Soccer: July 26th
Group D: Morocco tied 2-2 with Honduras
Group B: Gabon tied 1-1 with Switzerland
Group C: Egypt loses 2-3 to Brazil
Group A: Senegal ties 1-1 with Great Britain

One of a Kind - An Independent Olympic Athlete, by way of South Sudan

Guor Marial - Making strides of courage and hope !

Guor Marial, a South Sudanese track and field athlete based in the United States, will be participating in the Olympics as an independent athlete, bearing neither Sudan's flag or his home country's flag, South Sudan. He will be bearing the Olympic flag. An independent athlete, truly one of a kind!  Far beyond scrambling for a gold medal, Marial's goal for training relentlessly to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games is to glorify and honor the 28 immediate and extended family members he lost during the civil war in Sudan. "Their spirit is what allows me to get up every single day, put on my shoes and train to honour them", says Marial, as he prepares to take off for London.

Under normal circumstances, the International Olympic Commiitee (IOC) requires athletes to be full citizens of the countries they represent, to bear the flag of that country and to participate in the Olympics under that country. Because South Sudan just recently gained its independence on July 9, 2011, time was not on their side to meet the Olympic requirements, assemble an Olympic team and be ready for London 2012. As such, a brave heart like Guor Marial decided to fight for his right to participate in the Olympics, with or without a South Sudan flag.  

And just like that, his quest to have a chance to participate in the Olympics started. First, a change.org petition was set up titled "Allow South Sudanese runner, Guor Marial to compete in the Olympics Marathon" and received 3500 signatures. Followed with a plea letter from the President of Refugee International, Michel Gabaudan addressed to Jacque Rogge, President of the IOC.

A period of silence and no decision from the IOC did not discourage Marial, as he trained even harder and met the Olympic "A" standard in October 2011, making him eligible to participate in the 2012 Olympics. But the morning of Saturday July 21, 2012 was a bright and sunny one for Marial as he learnt from the IOC just 6 days ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony that he has been granted entry into the 2012 Olympics as a stateless athlete.

Call it independent, stateless, flagless or refugee athlete, Guor Marial will be a symbol of courage, hardwork and hope to his fellow country men and women of South Sudan when he sets his footprints on the Olympic tracks this July. As for South Sudan's plans to participate in future Olympic games, that still remains an unknown "Unknown"!




Brave heart, Guor Marial trains for the Olympics



A true symbol of courage, hardwork and hope for the people of South Sudan


Even if you don't win a medal in London, you are a winner already! Bonne Chance Guor!

                             (Photos courtesy of the Washingtonpost.com and google images)

Africa Village - The Melting Pot for the Cultural, Artistic and Sporting Riches of Africa in London



There is the Olympic Village and there is the Africa Village, all in London.


Thanks to the Olympic Games, if you are an advocate for a United States of Africa, your dreams may have come true, though it will be very short-lived! For two weeks, starting July 27th when the Games begin, through August 12th, a hospitality lounge called "Africa Village" has been set up in the heart of London, at the Kensington Gardens, to welcome the public and to showcase the cultural, artistic and sporting riches of the African continent.

An initiative spearheaded by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), Africa Village will be open to the public daily from 9am to 10pm and will have representatives from all 53 African National Olympic Committees. It will be divided into two areas; Africa Land and Africa House. Africa Land will showcase Olympic-themed events combined with modern and traditional African music concerts, fashion shows, art displays, African stage plays and the most appetizing of all, an on site African restaurant. Yumm! There will also be a daily celebration of medals won by an African athlete, accompanied with interviews and photo sessions with the winning athletes. Africa House, on the other hand, will serve as a welcoming area for African Olympic athletes and African sports leaders.

This will be the first time in the history of the Olympic Games where all African countries have united as one, to support each other, showcase our rich and diverse cultures and most of all, in unity, Scramble for Gold!

If you happen to be in London during the games, I encourage you to come immerse yourself in the sweetness and richness of Africa Village.

Details : Free entrance from 9am - 10pm. Tube station: South Kensington (District or Circle line).

Front view of Africa Land

Inside view of Africa Land, with tents representing each country

Pedestrians stare at Africa Village as they walk by

And... You are here !

Enjoy...

(Photos courtesy of africa-village.com)

Edwin Ekiring and Badminton - A Sport of Vectors and Parabolas

Uganda's Edwin Ekiring - Africa's No. 1 ranked badminton player qualifies for his 2nd Olympics.

Since its inception as an Olympic sport in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, only 8 African countries have participated in Badminton at the Olympics and no medal; gold, silver or bronze, has been won by an African. In fact, 69 of the 76 medals won in the sport as of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has been won by an athlete of Asian descent, with China having the most medal counts. But this did not stop Edwin Ekiring, the 28 year old native of Uganda from pursuing his dream to become one of Africa's best badminton players and an Olympic medalist. Well, not quite yet!

Now ranked No. 93 in the world according to the Badminton World Federation and also Africa's highest ranked badminton player, Edwin is one out of five Africans who qualified to compete in badminton at the 2012 Olympics. Just like many African boys and girls, Edwin always wanted to be a professional football player, but quickly realized he was too skinny-framed to become a pro. He switched to a surprising sport most Africans would not think about, badminton. And both have never broken up. A true love affair!
 
Badminton is a sport of vectors and parabolas. A fan favorite at the Olympic games, it is known for its fast paced excitement, chaotic footwork, agility, poise, extraordinary hand-eye coordination and power smashes from the players. The game revolves around each player's ability to move the opponent back and forth with high lofty shots, called lobs or sharply hit, perfectly aimed smashes.

Edwin has faced many challenges in his young life and the challenge to win a medal at the Olympics is just  one more. Growing up in the capital of Uganda, Kampala, Edwin watched his mother die in a car crash when he was just 10yrs old. He later moved to Germany and then Netherlands, where his career in badminton peaked. But then, in 2009, he had the misfortune of experiencing a second accident, this time, he was hit by a car while cycling home from training. Thirteen weeks passed before he could walk again and the dream of being a badminton professional seemed to have vanished.

In just a few days in London, the world would see Ekiring in steady concentration. Making fast paced reflexes. Making a connection with his racquet and the shuttlecock. Would he go bold, for gold?

Whatever it may be, Edwin Ekiring is a true sports hero, a true African hero! Bonne Chance Edwin !

 

Recovering from a car accident in 2009, Ekiring is back on top of his game.

Hardwork rewards the brave! Edwin sweats it out at the Olympic qualifiers.

Eyes set on gold. Allez !


(Photos courtesy of Africa Badminton and Radio Netherlands Worldwide)



The Olympic Flame - A symbol of Peace, Unity and Friendship

 

Cote D'Ivoire's very own Didier Drogba carries the Olympic flame in Swindon, UK (May 23, 2012)

Ever wondered why the hype about the Olympic Torch Relay and what the flame really means anyway? I once did too. So here goes our "très bref " history lesson about the Olympic Flame.

The Olympic Flame, Torch and Relay draw on a history going back to the ancient Olympic Games in Greece. The Torch and Relay represent important elements of the cultural festivals surrounding the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece, during which a sacred flame burned continually on the altar of the goddess, Hera. Before the Games begin each Olympic year, a very precise ritual for the lighting of the Flame occurs. It is lit from the sun's rays at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, in a traditional ceremony among the ruins of the home of the ancient Games. After a short relay around Greece, the Flame is handed over to the new Host City at another ceremony in the Panathenaiko stadium in Athens. Once delivered to the Host Country, the torch is transferred from one Torchbearer to another, spreading the message of peace, unity and friendship. It ends its journey as the last Torchbearer lights the cauldron at the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in the host country's Olympic Stadium, marking the official start of the Games. The Flame is extinguished on the final day of the Games, at the Closing Ceremony.

Some of Africa's prominent athletes, Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast and Haile Gebrelassie of Ethiopia were part of the Olympic Torch relay this summer.

                            

 

In Didier's own words "To carrry the Olympic Torch is, I don't know if there are any words to describe it"



King of Marathon, Haile Gebrelassie of Ethiopia, holds the torch in South Shields, UK (June 16, 2012)

David Beckham lights the Olympic Torch upon its arrival in the UK (May, 18, 2012).



Will. i. am carries the Olympic Torch in Taunton, UK (May, 21, 2012).  

                                                         Ino Menegaki (actress), plays the role of the high priestess as she lights the 2012

                                                          Olympic flame at the temple of Hera in Greece, (May 10,2012).

(Photos courtesy of http://www.telegraph.co.uk/)

A Sprinter Rises from Botswana

Amantle Montsho celebrates winning gold in the 400m at the World Championship in Daegu, 2011.

Amantle Montsho, a 28 year old female sprinter from Botswana, is the current world champion in the 400 metres. Her body leaning over, hands on the track, butt up in the air, elbows unlocked. When Montsho settles into the starting blocks on the track, her eyes bursting with desire, all you can see is a champion in quest for gold. Considered one of the fastest women in the world, the Botswana hopeful is a favorite to win gold in the women's 400 metres at the Olympics this summer.


But Montsho's journey from a small town called Maun, located  in the North West region of Botswana to the biggest stage in sports, is very different from the other athletes she will be competing against in London. Growing up in Maun, which had only one gymnasium and no track fields, Montsho spent alot of her childhood sprinting back and forth in the family's cattle post. Today, she is the reigning world champion in the 400m and a few days away from making history if she captures Botswana's first ever Olympic medal.

Far from home, Montsho has been based at the I.A.A.F training center in Dakar, Senegal since April 2006. Chasing her Olympic dream, she has been living in near isolation in her quest for gold. Her routine is the same 6 days of the week. She eats well, sleeps well and does intense training. A combination of workouts on the beach, in the nearby hills, on an outdoor track, and in the weight room. Her coach, Anthony Koffi, a native of Ivory Coast, is hopeful that all the sweating and grinding will pay off at the games in London.

From a small city in Botswana, Montsho has become an icon in her country. The legacy; a sponsorship deal with Nike, 6 gold medals in other races worldwide, earns prize money through these races including $60,000 for winning the World Championships last summer (which is nearly four times the annual per capita income in Botswana) and finished 8th in the 400m at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Would she win Botswana's first Olympic medal in London this summer? That remains her quest and a nation's hope!



Amantle races past Allyson Felix (U.S) to win the World Championships, Daegu 2011



In Dakar, walking with other athletes to the training center.



As part of her routine, Amantle sprints along the beach in Dakar 6 days during the week.



Endurance, hurt and pain. Amantle knows what it takes to be a champ!



In her hometown, Maun, a billboard of Amantle Montsho wielding the nation's flag.

Good luck in London Amantle! Make Botswana proud, make Africa proud !

(Photos: courtesy of the New York Times and Super Sport)



Welcome to Scramble For Gold - Where African Champions Live!

Amantle Montsho, Zarra Pinto, Wilson Kipsang, Edwin Ekiring, Pamela Jelimo, Oscar Pitorious, Aminata Diouf.............Just to mention a few of the talented African athletes who will be representing their nations in London this summer. Very often, "sports" is interpreted by many in Africa as soccer and nothing else!  With the Olympic Games just 2 weeks away, the time is ripe to enlighten the world about the fine champions, hardworking talent and devoted athletes from the African continent. Sweating it out behind the scenes, hoping to peak at the right time! Will they beat their best record when it matters most? Be assured, they will bring honor and pride to their nations in London this summer. With counts of gold, silver or bronze medals, or none. Welcome to my blog!  Scramble For Gold...where African champions live!