Africa-Press – Angola. In a week of sports feats, the party was marred by the death, this Sunday, of Justiniano Araújo, an icon of cycling and Angolan sport.
The causes of the former cyclist’s physical disappearance still need to be determined, according to his wife to press, in Luanda, who confirmed the unfortunate event that happened after morning training, at the end of which he felt bad and succumbed in a hospital.
Justiniano Araújo, 57 years old, was instrumental in the development of the sport as an athlete, accumulating individual titles, for teams, for national teams and as a manager, even assuming the position of vice-president of the federation.
As a result of his commitment, in 2022 he was honored by the Sagrada Esperança Foundation, as one of the icons of Angolan cycling in the post-independence period.
Apart from misfortune, the last seven days have been a good season for Angolan sport, especially in international competitions.
Petro de Luanda revalidated the African Super Cup in senior women’s handball with a victory over 1.o de Agosto, by 29-26, in a competition played in Egypt with an Angolan final.
The National Sailing Team also revalidated the title of African champion in optimist, by teams, in a competition taking place in Morocco.
The team thus won the second consecutive trophy for the specialty, after having already done so in the 2022 edition, held in South Africa. Before, he won in 2016, in Luanda, Egypt`2017 and Seychelles`2019.
Angola hosted the 19th African Championship in zone IV, in pure swimming, at the Alvalade swimming pool, and in open waters, at Ilha do Mussulo.
The national team rescued second place with a total of 2355 points, repeating the feat of 2015.
Eight years after winning the silver medal, in the country’s capital, it did the same, also as host.
To achieve this, the Angolans had a double second place in men’s (1199 pts) and in women’s (1156 pts), only behind neighboring Namibia, which added a total of 2757 pts.
In terms of medals, it won 74, including 30 gold, 24 silver and 20 bronze, far surpassing the numbers of the 2015 edition (61), of which 22 gold, 21 silver and 18 bronze.
In this regard, the Namibians led again with 117, of which 45 gold, 36 silver and 36 bronze.
The National Team broke for the first time in its history two relay records’. The Angolans swam the 4x50m freestyle in 1.36.15 and in the 4×100 free with a time of 3.36.05, in pure swimming.
The Angolan Maria Freitas was elected the most valuable swimmer (MVP) by the African Confederation of zone IV, thanks to her performance during the region’s championship in pure swimming, ended Saturday, at Piscina do Alvalade, in Luanda.
In six individual events, Freitas won five gold medals, namely in the 50m breaststroke (35.95), 50m backstroke (32.98), 100m freestyle (1.01.83), 200m freestyle (2.14.24) and 200m styles (2.33.05) . The athlete also won a silver in the 400m freestyle (4.51.89)
In basketball, Petro de Luanda beat Egypt’s Al Alhy on Friday, by 91-90, in the game of the fifth and last round of the preliminary phase of the African Basketball League (BAL-acronym in English), qualifying for the final phase taking place from the 21st to the 28th of this month, in Rwanda.
At the domestic level, the National Football Championship “Girabola2022-23” stands out, where the fight for the title between Petro and 1.o de Agosto goes to the red, after the dispute of the 28th round.
Petro, leader with 63 points, drew 1-1 with Wiliete de Benguela, on Saturday, at the 22 de Junho stadium, while 1.o de Agosto defeated on that Sunday, at the same venue, Sagrada Esperança, by 2-0 , totaling 60 points, in second place.
The week also saw the dispute of the unprecedented National Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Championship, taking place at the Belas Conference Centre, in Futungo.
Mário Faria won Saturday the main category “Body Building Open”, in the qualifying competition for the African Championship, to be held from the 17th to the 21st of this month, in South Africa.
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