Notable presence of foreign delegations in Dixiades

Four delegations of the sub-region present at the start of the competition on Wednesday.

Grouped at a computer in the lobby of the hotel establishment that welcomes, members of the Congolese delegation gymnasts look on Youtube, international tournaments videos.

"For the competition we will address, it's always good to see what great athletes do," says an athlete. The atmosphere is relaxed. "We came with three federations (gymnastics, athletics and boxing),” the trainer of the Congolese team told CT.

Outside, Gabonese athletes are seen strolling around the hotel premises. The Gabonese delegation arrived in the morning the day before and needs to recover. "The Gabonese Olympic Committee has seen fit to bring four boxers and ten judokas in both disciplines. Initially, we had to come by plane. But we finally arrived by road. The cyclists had to stay for lack of means. We left Libreville on Monday at 6am and arrived Cameroon around one o'clock in the morning on Tuesday. We drove all day and half the night," says Jean Louis Mezui Me assa, head of the Gabonese delegation.

For these Dixiades, foreign delegations invited to the competition are housed in Mansel Hotel, located in the Fouda neighborhood. These are the member countries of Zone IV of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa or the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (Central African Republic, Congo, DR Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Chad). As we went to press on Wednesday, CAR, Congo, Chad and Gabon had already arrived and installed.

Projections of the organizing committee of Dixiades, 120 athletes and trainers guests are expected. To visiting delegations, these games beyond the sporting aspect, are an opportunity for athletes of the sub-region to communicate and strengthen their solidarity.