Youth Games announced
Next month's National Youth Games will see under-20 athletes from all 14 regions competing in ten sports codes.
The Namibia Sport Commission (NSC), together with the ministry of sport, has announced an N$820 000 sponsorship for the first-ever multi-disciplinary National Youth Games which will take place from 10 to 13 May in Windhoek.
Local companies such as Meatco, Namibian Breweries Limited, Coca-Cola and NamPower came on board to boost the games.
The under-20 event will have the theme 'Enhancing the Future of a Sporting Nation' and will attract local athletes who will be representing the 14 regions in ten different sport codes: football, netball, volleyball, boxing, tennis, judo, athletics, Para-athletics and swimming.
Minister of sport Erastus Uutoni, who was present at the handover, said the NSC had engaged stakeholders and visited all 14 regions' governors to ensure that teams are sent to participate in the Games.
“Youth sport development cannot be undermined if we want to be a winning nation in sport. Therefore as government, we are fully committed to the development sports as we have done for the past 28 years,” said Uutoni.
However, the minister emphasised that developing sport should not be seen as the job of the government alone but be regarded as a multi-sectoral responsibility.
Johan Manuel, vice-president of the organising committee, said the games would allow the country to discover hidden sport talent.
“Hopefully we will discover another Helalia Johannes or Jonas Junias,” she said. The athletes will be housed at various hostels in the city and the athletics events will take place at the University of Namibia's sports facilities. The swimming events will be held at the Olympia public pool, and football matches will take place at the NFA Technical Centre in Katutura. The games will serve as trials for selecting athletes for the Region Five Games that will take place in Botswana in December.
The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) will broadcast the events on all its radio stations to reach the masses.
Local companies such as Meatco, Namibian Breweries Limited, Coca-Cola and NamPower came on board to boost the games.
The under-20 event will have the theme 'Enhancing the Future of a Sporting Nation' and will attract local athletes who will be representing the 14 regions in ten different sport codes: football, netball, volleyball, boxing, tennis, judo, athletics, Para-athletics and swimming.
Minister of sport Erastus Uutoni, who was present at the handover, said the NSC had engaged stakeholders and visited all 14 regions' governors to ensure that teams are sent to participate in the Games.
“Youth sport development cannot be undermined if we want to be a winning nation in sport. Therefore as government, we are fully committed to the development sports as we have done for the past 28 years,” said Uutoni.
However, the minister emphasised that developing sport should not be seen as the job of the government alone but be regarded as a multi-sectoral responsibility.
Johan Manuel, vice-president of the organising committee, said the games would allow the country to discover hidden sport talent.
“Hopefully we will discover another Helalia Johannes or Jonas Junias,” she said. The athletes will be housed at various hostels in the city and the athletics events will take place at the University of Namibia's sports facilities. The swimming events will be held at the Olympia public pool, and football matches will take place at the NFA Technical Centre in Katutura. The games will serve as trials for selecting athletes for the Region Five Games that will take place in Botswana in December.
The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) will broadcast the events on all its radio stations to reach the masses.
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