Cameroon targeting improvement after IJF dev. programme

Cameroon has become the latest country to benefit from the International Judo Federation's (IJF) development programme, with equipment and support for several national events having been provided in 2014.

As part of the programme, the Cameroon Judo Federation received a tatami and dozens of brand new judogi allocated to promising young athletes. Support was also provided for several tournaments, including an season-opening event in Yaounde, before an international competition at the Sports Palace in the same city in March, where an international referee and IT expert was sent by the IJF to provide assistance.

Further events were held in Douala, the second largest city in the country, last month, with all the events also an opportunity for Cameroonian coaches, who had graduated by the IJF academy in Budapest, to test their skills.

Every year, the IJF donates equipment to many national federations to support the development of judo at all levels, spanning both the grassroots and the top level as well as everywhere in between.

This is considered an "important" part of the IJF global development programme, which also consists of financial support and assistance to send the best athletes to the World Judo Tour events. In Cameroon, it is hoped that the support will facilitate improvement at all levels, with the nation having sent just one judoka to the London 2012 Olympic Games, with under 90 kilogram performer Dieudonne Dolassem losing to a strong Georgian opponent in the first round.

But improvement has already been made, with Vanessa Mballa Atangana winning a superb under 78kg title at the African Open in Mauritius earlier this month.

It is hoped that, in the long term, the IJF support can inspire Cameroon to become only the third African nation, after Egypt and Algeria, to win an Olympic judo medal.