Shawwal ready for Paris showdown

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIAN athlete Hilmy Shawwal will proudly represent the country at the on-going Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, competing in the Wheelchair Racing T54 event tomorrow.

As the sole athlete representing Tanzania at the contest, which includes 549 sporting events and runs until September 8th, Shawwal is ready to perform best.

According to Vincent Kaduma, the General Secretary of the Tanzania Paralympic Committee (TPC), Shawwal has undergone rigorous training and TPC is confident in his preparedness. They expect him to represent the country exceptionally well in the upcoming competition.

“He has trained hard for the games and as TPC, we are satisfied with the level of drills he has had hence we believe that he is going to proudly represent the country,” Kaduma said.

TPC is actively working to introduce Wheelchair Racing to enable more Tanzanian Paralympic athletes to compete. Despite the expensive nature of these wheelchairs, discussions are ongoing with potential donors to procure them and train the athletes for future Paralympic Games.

“These bicycles are quite expensive, but we are exploring opportunities with potential donors to acquire them and train our athletes for future Paralympic Games. Fortunately, wheelchair racing can be conducted on standard running tracks, like those at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, so infrastructure is not an issue,” he said.

Shawwal has received full support from Tanzanians living in France, as well as officials from the Tanzanian embassy, who will be present to cheer him on during his race tomorrow.

As the sole Tanzanian athlete in the 2024 Paralympic Games, Shawwal needs unwavering support from all Tanzanians to excel. He is not only representing himself but also the entire country. Therefore, maximum support for him is crucial, as emphasised by Kaduma.

Currently, Tanzania does not have wheelchair racing, but Shawwal has gained expertise in the sport from England, where he resides and frequently engages in Wheelchair Racing.