Namibia is set to finally make its pool international bow next week when they line up alongside eight other nations competing for honours at the All Africa Blackball Championship in South Africa.
It is a welcome development for the Namibia Pool and Billiard Federation (NPBF), following the non-event of the planned friendly series against Zambia earlier this year, said national body president Cyril van Rooi.
Namibia has entered men and women’s ensembles of five players each at the competition, which takes place from 11 October to 15 October.
The two teams depart on Monday.
“We then had our trials to select a national team. Out of the trials, very talented young players came to the forefront, our future champions. It is definitely a great platform to have, to build this sport to higher heights,” said Van Rooi.
Namibia will face South-Africa, Zambia, Eswatini, Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Uganda at the tournament.
“They will definitely have a heavy schedule while down in Gauteng but I think our team will give a good account of themselves.
“Our players will showcase their skills against top African players. They will compete in the team division and in the singles division at this prestigious competition,” Van Rooi said.
“We then had our trials to select a national team. Out of the trials, very talented young players came to the forefront, our future champions. It is definitely a great platform to have, to build this sport to higher heights.
“This is a first for Namibia to compete in this competition. This competition will definitely be a tough one for the newcomers, but with that said, they will gain a lot of experience.”
This month, the NPBF celebrates a year of being a recognised Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) member, during which time it has expanded from five to 11 clubs.
“Since its affiliation with the NSC in October 2022, the federation has grown in numbers. It has representation in five regions so far. We have the Khomas, Erongo, Hardap, Omaheke and Kavango regions registered with us,” said Van Rooi.
“The aim of the federation is to reach out to all regions of Namibia as per the mandate given to the board by the NSC when it was appointed.”
After the Zambia tune-up fell through, the NPBF turned its full focus to the All Africa Blackball Championships, organised by the All Africa Pool Association.
“The teams are very busy with their practise and are confident in going out there and doing their best. The spirit among the team members is high and they cannot wait for the time to come to take on this journey. I wish them all the very best on this journey to make Namibia proud,” said Van Rooi.
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