Golf queens AACT feat wins accolade
DAR ES SALAAM: THE government has commended Tanzania’s national ladies’ golf team for bringing honour to the country after winning a bronze medal at the 2026 All-Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT) in Abuja, Nigeria.
The achievement marks significant progress for Tanzania, which improved from fifth place at the 2024 championship in Morocco to finish among Africa’s top three, ahead of hosts Nigeria.
The national team representing Tanzania at the tournament include Captain Madina Iddi, Neema Olomi and Hawa Wanyeche. Tanzania carded 479 strokes to finish third among 19 participating nations at the IBB International Golf and Country Club over the weekend. South Africa claimed the title with 464 strokes, while Kenya finished runners-up on 470, leaving Tanzania 15 strokes behind the champions.
The team was received at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam yesterday by National Sports Council (NSC) Senior Sports Officer Charles Maguzu, who applauded the players for their consistent performances in international competitions.
Maguzu also congratulated Neema Olomi on winning the 2026 Nigeria Ladies Open, describing her triumph as another major achievement for the country.
“It is a great honour for the country when a team and its players return with titles from international competitions. Women’s golf has consistently delivered such achievements over the years, and you deserve recognition,” he said.
He commended the Tanzania Ladies Golf Union (TLGU), under President Timea Chogo, for raising Tanzania’s profile on the international golf stage through the team’s impressive performances.
Maguzu called on corporate organisations and other stakeholders to complement government efforts by investing in successful national teams, saying sustained support was essential for greater achievements.
“Ladies’ golf team deserve support to perform even better. No meaningful success can be achieved without investment. The government alone cannot do everything; cooperation with companies and other stakeholders is essential,” he said.
He also urged parents to encourage their daughters to take up golf, stressing that developing young players was vital to building a strong and sustainable national team.
Chogo called for continued government and corporate support, particularly investment in junior golf, to strengthen the country’s prospects. “Tanzania has abundant talent, and we have demonstrated our ability to compete at the highest international level. However, we face challenges in preparations, which limit our ability to achieve even greater success,” she said.
She acknowledged the support of the Tanzania Golf Union (TGU), NSC, TANAPA, Kago Tanzania Limited, CRDB Bank and Sahel, alongside other wellwishers, in facilitating the team’s participation.
Meanwhile, national team captain Madina Iddi attributed the success to unity and cooperation among players, officials and supporters.
“We fought together as a team, put everything else aside and placed the interests of our country first. We are grateful for these achievements,” she said.
