By: Dawda Baldeh
Gambian international Judo champion Faye Njie has reacted following his bronze medal victory at the just-concluded Senior Africa Judo Championships in Cairo, Egypt.
Njie, who represented The Gambia in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, said winning the gold medal in Cairo was an important achievement as it earned him qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
However, he expressed disappointment that he wasn’t able to secure a spot in the final.
The 30-year-old Finnish-Gambian has a wealth of experience, accumulating a good number of medals since he began representing The Gambia.
Faye Njie won a bronze medal in the senior African Judo Championship in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
This Senior African Judo Championship is part of a series of qualifiers for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
In his reaction after the victory, Faye reiterated his commitment to raising the country’s flag higher.
He narrated his journey in the competition which earned him the bronze medal.
Faye competed against 18 athletes from 14 countries on the continent.
He said, “In the first round, I defeated an opponent from Morocco. In my category, there were 18 athletes from 14 countries on the continent. Next, in the quarter-final, I faced an opponent from Angola. I was able to win that fight too and proceed to the semi-final. In the semi-final, I lost my fight against a Tunisian opponent, and in the bronze medal fight, I defeated my opponent from Djibouti in the golden score,” he explained.
He further told The Fatu Network that winning a medal was important for him to participate in the upcoming Olympic Games.
“At the same time, there is slight disappointment in missing the spot in the final,” he added.
He missed the All-African Games in Accra due to a muscle injury.
Over the years, Faye has represented the country in various competitions, inspiring a good number of young athletes to venture into Judo.
