Does it all add up?
On Saturday, Egypt will make its debut at the All-Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria. Inas Mazhar reports on the expected medal tally
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Egypt expects to collect enough medals to end up in third place in Abuja in the All-Africa Games
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A 372-strong delegation will be representing Egypt in 20 sports at the 15-day All-Africa Games that lasts until 18 October.
The Egyptians are looking to recapture their African glory when the Pharaohs used to finish in first place. That was before the return of South Africa to the sports scene in the mid- nineties following years of being ostracised by the international community for its apartheid policies.
The last time Egypt came first in the tournament was when it hosted it, in 1991. In Zimbabwe, 1995, Egypt dropped to second place, then to third in South Africa in 1999 behind the hosts and new powerhouse Nigeria.
To help Egypt return to top of the biggest continental event in sports, the National Olympic Committee (NOC) gave its federations more than LE32 million to prepare.
Egypt is depending on some sports for most of its medals. In squash it expects at least 10 medals; four gold in the individual and menÕs team event, four gold medals in the mixed event and two gold in the double for both men and women. Four men and four women will be representing Egypt.
The field hockey team dreams of another appearance at the Olympic Games, in Athens, via Abuja. Winning the gold medal would allow the squad to appear at the Olympics for the first time since Barcelona in 1992. As part of its preparations, the team won international championships in Germany and France.
Following Africa, the team travels straight to India for the first Afro-Asian championship.
In swimming, the federation expects 18 medals Ñ two gold, seven silver and nine bronze. Eight male swimmers and six women are representing Egypt.
Two of EgyptÕs four tennis players warmed up by taking part in two international tournaments in Morocco.
As usual, high hopes lie on the massive shoulders of the weightlifters. The target is a whopping 24 medals. And, says Fathi Zoreik, secretary-general of the federation, 20 of the medals will be gold. Men and women have been training at St CatherineÕs in Sinai.
Track and field, on the other hand, is EgyptÕs AchillesÕ heel. Despite strong performances at the recent world junior championships and the Arab championship in Jordan last month, the 13 athletes are expected to return home empty-handed.
Neither men nor women gymnasts are expected to make an impact either.
In boxing, between three and four medals are possible, and possibly one gold is at hand.
Egypt is AfricaÕs handball king but right behind are North African rivals Tunisia and Algeria. The three teams fought for a place in the Olympics less than three weeks ago with Egypt getting the ticket to Athens.
The volleyballers will be looking for a measure of revenge after losing to Algeria in the African Nations Cup in Cairo in August. The loss will keep the team out of the World Cup in Japan in November. New Yugoslav head coach Visco Yukovitch and former head coach Abdel-Hamid El-Wesimi, now an assistant, are reportedly at odds.
The football team will play without Marseilles forward Ahmed Hossam, or Mido. ÒHeÕs a great, talented player but we can do without him,Ó said head coach Shawqi Gharib. ÒHe isnÕt acquainted enough with the team and that will affect team harmony.Ó The team is winner of the bronze medal at the world youth championship and the African Nations Cup.
In reaction to the failure of the basketball team to win the African championship that was held in Alexandria in August and, therefore, qualify for Athens, the NOC not only banned the team from going to Abuja but demanded the officials return LE826,000 given to them for their preparations.
In order to cut down on costs, the NOC decided that some of the teams should not fly to Nigeria until the second week. ÒThereÕs no need to send all the athletes at once since some do not start playing until later. Also, those who finish will return immediately. They will not wait for the conclusion of the Games,Ó said Mohamed Touni, a NOC board member. Touni has flown to Nigeria to await the arrival of the delegation. The first batch of athletes and officials was scheduled to arrive yesterday night. The second is expected today while the third is scheduled to arrive on 8 October.
