Africa-Press – Angola. Angola is a justly African roller hockey champion, both in the senior and U19 categories, thanks to the work carried out on the continent, although much remains to be done, said the Minister of Youth and Sports, Rui Falcão.
Speaking to the press during the awards ceremony for the participating teams, Rui Falcão emphasized that Angola has a continental responsibility, given its history of good performances at the World Championships since the 1980s.
“I really appreciated what I saw from our teams: dedicated players throughout these matches, who give us a margin of comfort. We must now think about the 2026 World Championships,” he insisted.
Regarding the U19 team, he emphasized that the foundation of the sport rests on the fact that this generation all plays at the national level and with good quality.The Minister also praised the other participating teams, who, despite the difficulties, chose to participate, a fact that deserves recognition.
He indicated that the ministry he heads had provided the necessary support for the competition, and that the two competitions were also part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of national independence.
Rui Falcão and the Secretary of State for Sports, Paulo Madeira, were honored by World Skate Africa, each receiving double medals as key figures in making it possible for Angola to host these two events.The African Zonal 4.5 Chess Championship, a competition serving as a qualifying stage for the African Chess Championship and World Cup, officially opened Saturday afternoon in the city of Soyo, Zaire province.
The opening ceremony was presided over by the National Director of Sports, Matos Cardoso.
The competition, which officially begins this Sunday, brings together 26 athletes from seven countries—Angola, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Mozambique—compared to the 126 participants from ten countries initially planned.On Saturday evening, a technical meeting was held to determine the team and participant pairings.
The tournament will be held according to the Swiss system, with nine double rounds, including one rest day. On the final day, the 31st of this month, there will be only one morning session, with the afternoon reserved for the closing ceremony.
Prizes for the top-ranked players are set at €1,000 for the winner, €750 for the runner-up, €500 for the third-place finisher, €300 for the fourth-place finisher, and €200 for the fifth-place finisher, in both the men’s and women’s categories.
The opening ceremony was also attended by the President of the Angolan Chess Federation, Mário Neves, and the Provincial Director of Youth and Sports of Zaire, António Barata.
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