Fourteen gifted St Jude’s students proved their skills at last month’s national Union Sports Secondary Schools competition, helping the Arusha and Manyara (NW) zone finish third.

The 135-strong Arusha and Manyara team took first place in boys’ athletics, and second in girls’ basketball and girls’ athletics. They placed third overall, as well as third in girls’ volleyball and drama/ngoma. The team also received a special award for cleanliness and behaviour during the competition, held in Mwanza, Tanzania’s second largest city.

St Jude’s Form 6 student Denis was particularly outstanding, winning both triple jump and long jump. He qualified to represent Tanzania at the  East African secondary schools sports’ competitions (FIASA), expected to be held in Rwanda in August.

The competition, which is known by its Kiswahili acronym UMISSETA, aims to identify the best budding sports talents in Tanzania.

St Jude’s PE teacher Ali Rashid Juma participated as Meru District UMISSETA Coordinator, and music teacher Vencheslao Mgani helped as a trainer for the drama/ngoma and singing zone group.

Firmin A. Kiwale, St Jude’s Religion and Vocation Skills Head of Department, said the final 14 representatives emerged from the 56 St Jude’s students who represented the district team.

“They’ve gone from the sub-zonal, to the district, to the regional competition,” he said, explaining the hard work their group had committed to the national competition.

“We are an academic institution, but we encourage (the students’) other talents. We try to make sure there is a balance. Generally, all who went were happy with the organization and thankful to the school and anyone who, in one way or another, supported them in attaining that level.”

Congratulations to all the talented students involved, and we wish Denis all the best in his pursuit of success at FIASA.

See how else our students are excelling outside the St Jude's gates.