The Namibia Darts Federation (NDF) is set to host its first major competition next month, following months of preparations and its much-anticipated annual general meeting.

Speaking to this publication yesterday, NDF president Ralph Ludwig confirmed that the event will take place at Nkurenkuru in the Kavango West region.

Matches are set to be held at the town’s community hall.

“We have already submitted our annual calendar to the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC), outlining all our scheduled events for the year. Our first competition will be held in Nkurenkuru, where all federations are expected to participate and compete for top honours,” he said.

He noted that the tournament will be a national event, featuring both affiliate members and private clubs battling for top prizes. 

The total prize for the competition stands at a whopping N$25 000, which includes medals and trophies.

Regarding expectations for the event, Ludwig expressed excitement about the tournament’s significance, particularly for youth development. 

“This is a major tournament. We expect all affiliate members to participate. We are especially keen to see youth teams competing, as we will have a youth team travelling to Zimbabwe later in August for a regional tournament,” he noted.

Meanwhile, local organiser in Nkurenkuru Muronga Reinburg acknowledged that darts is not a widelyrecognised sport in the area, but he anticipates a strong turnout. 

“This is an important opportunity to promote the sport further. Darts has been growing rapidly in our town, attracting interest from both male and female players. Hosting this event will allow us to expose more people to the game,” another organiser stated.

He added: “We’ve had a great response from teams and regions showing interest. We expect this to be a major event. It is the first time we are hosting a competition of this magnitude, with the full backing of the national federation”.

– mkambukwe@nepc.com.na