The Cornelder Basketball Tournament, in its 5th edition, came to an end on Saturday, 25 July, with the finals of the Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 age groups, at the Clube Ferroviário da Beira Pavilion. The event brought together athletes, teachers, families and the community, celebrating four months of competition and the promotion of school sport.
Organised by Cornelder de Moçambique, the tournament ran from March to July and involved 20 schools in the city of Beira, which formed 80 boys' and girls' teams across the three age groups, mobilising more than 1,500 pupils.
The finals took place between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., in an atmosphere of competition and conviviality. The programme included performances by the artists Fidel On The Beatz, Maestro das Cordas and Os Casacados, as well as the supporters' and cheerleaders' competition, won by Macurungo Primary School.
Representing the Sofala Provincial Director of Education, sports officer Titto Muanahumo highlighted the tournament's impact on the development of school sport and praised Cornelder de Moçambique's contribution to discovering and nurturing new talent.
In his address, the Managing Director of Cornelder de Moçambique, Jan de Vries, stressed the tournament's growth since its creation in 2022, noting that the initiative now involves more than 1,500 pupils. He also highlighted that the project offers children and young people an opportunity to take part in sporting and educational activities, contributing to healthy lifestyles and to steering them away from risky behaviour.
He added that the competition is also an opportunity to identify new talent, serving as a platform for selectors to follow young athletes who could join the province's representative teams.
With five editions held, the Cornelder Basketball Tournament is established as one of the leading school basketball competitions in the city of Beira, promoting sport, inclusion, team spirit and the discovery of new talent among children and young people.
