Hot Dar es Salaam weather forcing visitors to bath twice

Sarah Chan [PHOTO: COURTESY]

Dar es Salaam is blazing hot now. The hot temperatures are driving people crazy. People are bathing twice. No one uses bed sheets at night unless they are sick. But as they say ‘vita vya panzi furaha ya kunguru’ hawkers and water vendors are making a kill selling ice creams and bottled mineral water.

Visiting Fiba officials have brought in a number of fans to cool them off at the gymnasium where the championship is being held. Some visitors have resorted to spending their afternoon alongside the beaches where there is cool breeze emanating from the ocean. No unity among Kenyan clubs.  

It is now evident that the ongoing championship has taken toll on players. The athletes are relatively tired after playing an average of three matches consecutively. But as the going gets tougher foreign teams are devising ways to motivate themselves during play.

Save for host clubs that have ready support at home.   Rwandan teams including Patriot, Espoir, and Ubumwe have put their difference aside and are now cheering any of them that has taken to the pitch.   Likewise, the Ugandan sides including City Oilers, UCU and KCCA have formed a formidable force that is doing the same whenever any of them is playing.  

As for Kenyan clubs, it is every man for himself and God for us all. Ulinzi are on their own at the court same as to Kenya Ports Authority.   But Usiu teams have resorted to cheering themselves.

If Usiu men are playing the women will be on the stands cheerleading and the vice versa. Sara Chan most decorated athlete at the championship. The United States International University (Usiu) player Sara Chan is among the most decorated athletes at the ongoing championship. Apart from being the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in Kenya she is also the Africa’s MVP.

She holds Africa’s Top Rebounder and Top Scorer titles and has been part of the continent’s starting five since last year.  The South Sudanese has lived in Kenya since 1998.

She attended Laiser Hill Academy where she harnessed her playing skills.  She had a brief stint in the United States before returning to the country to join Usiu where she is an International Relation student.