PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
EAC annual military games end in Bujumbura
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA) - East African Community (EAC) Military Games 2011 will close Saturday in Bujumbura, the Burundi capital, with Kenya retaining supremacy in both men’s and women’s cross-country races, according to available results.
The two-week sports bonanza was in the final phase Friday as military sportsmen and sportswomen representing all five EAC partner states battled it out in football, netball, handball and basketball.
According to available results, Kenya retained supremacy in both the men and women cross-country races.
Kenya’s Lewis Musoti won the men's endurance race in 32 minutes: 44.72 seconds, Burundi’s Olivier Irabaruta finished closely in 32 minutes 55.38 seconds, while coming third was Kenya’s Robert Lagat in 33 minutes: 01.28 seconds.
Hosts Burundi is in the second overall position in the classification table in the men’s category, followed by Tanzania and Uganda. Rwanda ended last.
Uganda’s Rebecca Cheptegei won the women’s category in 26 minutes: 18.04 seconds, followed by Kenya’s Gladys Chepngeno in 26 minutes 31.38 seconds and third was Tanzania’s Jacline Sakilu in 26 minutes: 59.66 seconds.
Uganda finished second in overall classification in the women’s category, followed by Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi in that order.
In football, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda were all tied at five points, while defending champions Rwanda trailed with three points followed by Tanzania without a point.
In basketball (men) Burundi was leading with nine points, Kenya and Tanzania have six points each and Uganda and Rwanda were yet to register a point.
According to the games officials, there was stiff competition and action in handball (men) tournament with Burundi enjoying home crowd support and reigning champions, Kenya, locked at six points each.
In the same event, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda were struggling at three points each.
Netball, the officials said, was another event that was generating excitement as defending champions, Tanzania, have taken a huge lead with nine points, followed by Uganda and debutants Burundi tied at three points. Kenya was in fourth position with one point and Rwanda had yet to secure a point.
Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza, who is current Chair of the EAC Summit, opened the games 16 August at the Prince Louise Rwegasore Stadium underlining the importance of military cooperation in all sectors, including sports and culture.
More than 500 sportsmen and women from armed forces of the EAC partner states are taking part in the games, which Burundi hosted for the first time this year.
"I am happy to say that everything is moving smoothly and as planned. The event has truly demonstrated the unity and sportsmanship of East Africans," said Brigadier-General Nahimana Salvatore, Burundi’s Defence Liaison Officer and chair of Defence Liaison Officers at the EAC Secretariat.
The primary objective of the games is not competition but to contribute to confidence building and nurturing a spirit of sportsmanship among the EAC defence forces as well as for individual soldiers to demonstrate their talents and cultures.
Since 2005 when Uganda hosted the inaugural edition in Kampala, other editions of the games were staged on a rotational basis in Nairobi, Kenya (2006), Zanzibar, Tanzania (2007), Kampala, Uganda (2008) and Kigali, Rwanda (2009).
-0- PANA AR 26Aug2011
The two-week sports bonanza was in the final phase Friday as military sportsmen and sportswomen representing all five EAC partner states battled it out in football, netball, handball and basketball.
According to available results, Kenya retained supremacy in both the men and women cross-country races.
Kenya’s Lewis Musoti won the men's endurance race in 32 minutes: 44.72 seconds, Burundi’s Olivier Irabaruta finished closely in 32 minutes 55.38 seconds, while coming third was Kenya’s Robert Lagat in 33 minutes: 01.28 seconds.
Hosts Burundi is in the second overall position in the classification table in the men’s category, followed by Tanzania and Uganda. Rwanda ended last.
Uganda’s Rebecca Cheptegei won the women’s category in 26 minutes: 18.04 seconds, followed by Kenya’s Gladys Chepngeno in 26 minutes 31.38 seconds and third was Tanzania’s Jacline Sakilu in 26 minutes: 59.66 seconds.
Uganda finished second in overall classification in the women’s category, followed by Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi in that order.
In football, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda were all tied at five points, while defending champions Rwanda trailed with three points followed by Tanzania without a point.
In basketball (men) Burundi was leading with nine points, Kenya and Tanzania have six points each and Uganda and Rwanda were yet to register a point.
According to the games officials, there was stiff competition and action in handball (men) tournament with Burundi enjoying home crowd support and reigning champions, Kenya, locked at six points each.
In the same event, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda were struggling at three points each.
Netball, the officials said, was another event that was generating excitement as defending champions, Tanzania, have taken a huge lead with nine points, followed by Uganda and debutants Burundi tied at three points. Kenya was in fourth position with one point and Rwanda had yet to secure a point.
Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza, who is current Chair of the EAC Summit, opened the games 16 August at the Prince Louise Rwegasore Stadium underlining the importance of military cooperation in all sectors, including sports and culture.
More than 500 sportsmen and women from armed forces of the EAC partner states are taking part in the games, which Burundi hosted for the first time this year.
"I am happy to say that everything is moving smoothly and as planned. The event has truly demonstrated the unity and sportsmanship of East Africans," said Brigadier-General Nahimana Salvatore, Burundi’s Defence Liaison Officer and chair of Defence Liaison Officers at the EAC Secretariat.
The primary objective of the games is not competition but to contribute to confidence building and nurturing a spirit of sportsmanship among the EAC defence forces as well as for individual soldiers to demonstrate their talents and cultures.
Since 2005 when Uganda hosted the inaugural edition in Kampala, other editions of the games were staged on a rotational basis in Nairobi, Kenya (2006), Zanzibar, Tanzania (2007), Kampala, Uganda (2008) and Kigali, Rwanda (2009).
-0- PANA AR 26Aug2011
