Mozambicans athletes leave for the Olympics

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Mozambicans athletes leave for the Olympics

7:45 CAT | 04 Jul 2024

Photo: Notícias

Seven athletes in five disciplines – athletics, boxing, judo, swimming and sailing – will fly the Mozambican flag at the Paris Olympics.

Mozambique heads to this competition with the mission of breaking the 24-year Olympic medal drought. Lurdes Mutola continues to be the light of Mozambican sport at the Olympic Games, after winning in Sydney in 2000. Many editions have since passed without the country managing to win a medal.

This Wednesday, Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane challenged the athletes representing Mozambique at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games from the 26th of this month to bring home medals, promising that Mozambicans will send all the support possible.

The prime minister yesterday bid farewell to the Mozambican delegation that will defend the country’s colours at the Olympics.

These are Alcinda dos Santos and Tiago Muxanga (boxing), Deisy Nhaquile (sailing), Jacira Ferreira (judo) and Steven Sabino (athletics), and their respective coaches. They will join two other swimming athletes who are already in Paris, namely Matthew Lawrence, who benefits from an Olympic scholarship, in Portugal and Denise Doneli who lives in Italy.

Speaking to the athletes, Adriano Maleiane said there would be no lack of support.

“I can’t wish you luck, because in this sport, especially in sports, there is no luck, but fighting. The only thing I can wish and convey to you is our warmth when you are there. You know that there are more than 30 million people behind you,” Prime Minister Maleiane said.

Maleiane said that knew that the athletes would do everything possible to win medals for the country, so they should not feel the weight and responsibility they bear to the point of becoming distracted.

“If you win, the more than 30 million Mozambicans will thank you, but if you lose, the Mozambicans will also be with you,” noted Maleiane, adding that Mozambicans were known for their discipline abroad and challenging the athletes to uphold this good image.

The athletes are aware of the weight they carry, and promise to do their best to adequately represent the country at the Olympic Games.

“I don’t promise the podium, but I promise to work to get to the podium. That is my main objective in these games,” said Alcinda Panguana.

For her part, Deisy Nhaquile regretted not having time for an internship during her preparation for this competition. “Unfortunately, time is tight, but that’s what being an athlete is. We have to do a huge amount of work to bring medals to the country,” the sailor said. She is participating in the Olympics for the second time, after also being present in Tokyo.

The Mozambique Olympic Committee (COM), through Mission Mozambique, rounded out the send-off by assuring that everything was in place for a good performance at the Olympic Games.

Source: O País