The Ohangwena Athletics Club heads into the upcoming North West University Top-30 Athletics Championship South African adventure with renewed confidence after receiving brand new attire from Kongalend Financial Services recently.
Made up of athletes between the ages of 13 and 16, the club will be competing at the championship from 20 to 21 October in Potchefstroom.
The club obtained the sport uniforms through the Ohangwena region governor’s office, which lobbied for support towards the team’s activities. The donation has bolstered team morale and came at the right moment, as they prepare to compete at the prestigious international event where all athletes are required to be uniformly kitted, says the club coach, Teofelus Moses.
“We are happy because we are now competing as a team and as one unit. The athletes are now running freely and are no longer intimidated by the others, as they usually look more vulnerable,” said Moses.
About 15 more pairs of running shoes are needed to cover the entire team, he said.
The club also requires assistance to raise funds to cover accommodation and transportation costs.
“We ask the private sector and corporations to help us reach this milestone,” said Moses.
He welcomed the gesture from Kongalend Financial Services, saying it is a shot in the arm towards the development efforts of athletics and sport in Ohangwena region.
Puleinge Immanuel of Kongalend Financial Services said the donation was part of the company’s support towards productive endeavours involving the youth.
The club is still recruiting athletes for the upcoming contest and anticipate that their middle distance runners will have a respectable impact on the championship.
Seventeen athletes were selected last month to participate in a two-week training camp at the Dome and Vineta Stadium at Swakopmund to get ready for the competition. They will continue training at Oshakati, Rietfontein, Eenhana, and Swakopmund up to September.
“We know competition in South Africa is high, as those athletes are exposed to high-standard competitions, but we are ready to give them a good game,” Moses said.
“Our main focus is to have at least one or two of our athletes qualify for the upcoming winter youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, in 2026,” said Moses.
The athletes’ second objective is to improve their personal best times while gaining international experience in South Africa, Moses said. The bulk of the team are girls who will compete in middle and long distance races, as well as 200 and 400-metre sprinters.
“The team is currently performing well, and the athletes are improving, which gave us a good indication that they are prepared to compete at the highest level,” said Moses.
The Ohangwena Athletics Club was established in 2017 to develop young athletes from the Ohangwena region and beyond.
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