African School Games establish lasting paddle sport foundation in Algeria

Paddle Sport Legacy at Inaugural African School Games

The inaugural African School Games witnessed a significant impact from canoe slalom and canoe ocean racing, which contributed to establishing a lasting legacy in Algeria. This landmark event brought together approximately 1,700 athletes competing in 25 different disciplines, with competitions held across four cities in eastern Algeria.

The African School Games were initiated through a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa and the International School Sport Federation. Supported by the International Olympic Committee, the Games' primary objective is to prepare young African athletes for future major international competitions.

Competition Highlights and Results

Athletes from the following nations participated in the two paddle sport categories:

• Algeria
• Egypt
• Ghana
• Nigeria
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Sudan
• Tunisia

A total of 12 boys and six girls competed in both Canoe Slalom and Canoe Ocean Racing events. In the Canoe Ocean Racing finals, Algerian athletes Mohamed Radik Beneddine and Aya Rebouh secured victories in the men's and women's competitions, respectively. The Canoe Slalom events adopted the obstacle course format seen at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018. Host nation Algeria once again excelled, with Ahmed Larbes and Maroua Yourmouche claiming gold in the men's and women's finals.

The Legacy Project and Future Development

For the Canoe Ocean Racing competition, participants utilized 30 boats generously donated by the International Canoe Federation (ICF) and the Confederation of African Canoeing (CAC). This legacy initiative was initially proposed by the ICF's development department, with the intention for the CAC to present it to the National...

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