WINDHOEK – Five promising local athletes became chief beneficiaries of the popular Frank Fredericks Foundation (FFF) annual bursary awards for the 2013/2014 athletics season, at a special handover ceremony in Windhoek yesterday.
The academic and sport scholarship awards valued at N$60 000 was handed to deserving talented young local athletes..
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude towards the FFF for this generous sponsorship because it will assist me a lot since I come from a poor background struggling to make ends meet with both my parents unemployed,” said a teary-eyed Ismael Tjiramba (18).
“We want to harness the talent which we have identified in the past to ensure that they excel both on and off the playing field,” remarked FFF Chairman Frank Fredericks.
He further emphasized the importance of financially assisting the athletes, adding that it is of paramount importance that the athletes supported by the Foundation are able to succeed years from now because of the solid academic foundation laid down.
The FFF prides itself in assisting and nurturing raw talent, thus helping them become well-rounded individuals who can excel beyond their athletic careers. Moreover, many of the FFF protégés have gone on to compete at major international competitions, including the Olympics, Junior World Championships and the World Championships.
“We are confident that the small seeds invested in these young and promising athletes will yield much fruit. I’m sure that we will see some of these athletes at future Commonwealth or even Olympic Games and they will no doubt make us proud,” he added.
The 2013-2014 scholarship recipients are:
• Charlene Engelbrecht – shot put and discus (N$15 000 plus an additional N$5 000 for volunteer initiatives);
• Jesse Urikhob – 100m, 200m (N$15 000);
• Reginald ‘Kokorot’ Willemse – football (N$15 000);
• Adiel van Wyk – long jump, 200m (N$5 000); and,
• Ismael Tjiramba – 100m, 200m (N$5 000)
Fredericks encouraged the proud recipients to approach the Foundation should they need more funds as long as the requests are properly motivated. He also lauded foreign donors for their generosity.
An additional N$5 000 scholarship was awarded to Charlene Engelbrecht for her volunteer work in coaching upcoming athletes. “We believe in developing well-developed individuals who not only receive but who give back to the community,” said Fredericks.
By Carlos Kambaekwa