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๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฉ DR Congo /Sports

DRC to host 2027 African Wrestling Championships in Kinshasa

From Radio Okapi · (9m ago) French Positive tone

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been selected to host the 2027 African Wrestling Championships.
  • The decision was made during the General Assembly of United World Wrestling Africa (UWW-Africa) in Alexandria, Egypt.
  • Kinshasa will leverage modern sports infrastructure from the IX Francophonie Games to organize the event, which marks a first for sub-Saharan Africa.

Kinshasa is set to make history as it gears up to host the 2027 African Wrestling Championships, a prestigious continental event. The official designation was cemented during the UWW-Africa General Assembly held in Alexandria, Egypt, a decision that underscores the growing confidence of international sports federations in the Democratic Republic of Congo's organizational capabilities. This selection is not merely a sporting achievement but a testament to the DRC's commitment to elevating its profile on the global stage.

The successful bid to host the championships is a significant moment for Congolese sports. It reflects a renewed trust from continental and international bodies, paving the way for enhanced development in wrestling and other sports within the nation. The support from Nenad Lalovic, President of United World Wrestling, who pledged to assist the DRC throughout the organization process, is a crucial factor that promises a successful and well-executed event.

For the Congolese Wrestling Federation, led by ร‰ric Kinzambie, this confirmation marks the beginning of a rigorous preparation phase. With a year to organize, the immediate priority is the establishment of a dedicated organizing committee in Kinshasa. This committee will be tasked with ensuring that the event is prepared under the best possible conditions, aiming to showcase the DRC's potential to host major international competitions.

The DRC's modern sports infrastructure, notably the facilities inherited from the IX Francophonie Games, provides a significant advantage. These state-of-the-art venues are expected to meet the high standards required for continental championships. The fact that this will be the first time the African Wrestling Championships are held in sub-Saharan Africa adds a unique historical dimension, highlighting the region's growing importance in the international sports landscape. This event presents a unique opportunity for the DRC to shine and for sub-Saharan Africa to demonstrate its capacity to host world-class sporting events.

Il ne sโ€™agissait pas seulement dโ€™un courrier, mais il fallait que cette dรฉcision soit actรฉe dans le procรจs-verbal de lโ€™Assemblรฉe gรฉnรฉrale. Nous avons une annรฉe devant nous pour nous organiser. Dรจs notre retour ร  Kinshasa, un comitรฉ dโ€™organisation sera mis en place afin de prรฉparer cet รฉvรฉnement dans les meilleures conditions

โ€” ร‰ric KinzambiePresident of the Congolese Wrestling Federation, detailing the next steps after the official confirmation of hosting the championships.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Radio Okapi in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.