THE SAIFEE EAST AFRICAN SPORTS FESTIVAL
The Saifee East African Sports Festival was held in Dar Es Salaam from 28th April to 30th April, with various East African cities including Al-Jamea Nairobi participating in a range of sports. ANJ Nairobi, which sent 40 players to compete in 9 sports. Below is a summary of ANJ Nairobi’s performance in the sports festival.
Senior Football
ANJ Nairobi’s Senior Football team had a remarkable performance, winning the finals against Dar es Salam 2-1. The team’s captain – goalkeeper, Abbass Bhaijee, received the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament award, while Mehlam Akberali won the Highest Scorer title. The Player of the Tournament award went to Mustafa Qutbi.
Darts
ANJ Nairobi’s Darts team also had a thrilling performance, winning the finals against Dar es Salam in a 2-1 reverse singles match. Team captain Mustafa KB receiving the highest score award of 180.
Squash
In the Squash finals, Burhanuddin Najmi represented ANJ Nairobi but lost 3-2 against Dar es Salam.
Swimming
Taha Shk. Moez Didarali represented ANJ Nairobi in the swimming category and gave an exemplary performance in his 18-21 year category. He won a Gold Medal in the Butterfly, a Silver Medal in Freestyle and Backstroke, and a Bronze Medal in the Marathon.
Junior Football
ANJ Nairobi’s Junior Football team put up a strong fight but lost in the semi-finals against Mombasa.
Snooker
ANJ Nairobi’s Snooker team had a splendid performance in the quarter-finals against Mombasa, losing 3-2. One of the players, Hatim Ebrahimjee, aged 13, received the Upcoming Player award in the Snooker tournament.
Badminton and Table Tennis
ANJ Nairobi’s Badminton and Table Tennis teams gave strong performances but did not go through the league round.
Cycling
ANJ Nairobi’s Cycling team showed a very strong performance, with our cyclists finishing 1-2 in the pack.
Conclusion
Overall, ANJ Nairobi had a good performance in the SAIFEE EAST AFRICAN SPORTS FESTIVAL, winning in two categories and putting up a strong fight in others. The team’s players showcased their exceptional abilities and fought hard for victory. Shk Shabbir Jafferji was also recognized as the eldest player in the tournament. ANJ Nairobi can be proud of their performance, and we look forward to their participation in future sports festivals.