Omaruru
The Omaruru Town Council in conjunction with the Namibia Cycling Federation (NCF) hosts the popular BMX Race Day and Cycling Development Day in the town this weekend.
NCF has set up a five-year plan to develop cycling in all the regions of the country that includes the Kids on Bikes (BMX) project. The BMX Race day event forms part of the federation’s drive to implement the Kids on Bikes project at each centre they visit.
In January earlier this year, NCF visited the Olupale Combined School in Omuthiya, Oshikoto Region, followed by similar trips to Nau-Aib Primary School in Okahandja (Otjozondjupa Region), Gobabis, (Omaheke Region) before heading to Omaruru.
Omaruru will be the fourth centre. The project aims to make a small start by gradually introducing cycling to previously disadvantaged communities. It also seeks to invite and introduce kids, notably between the ages of 5 and 9 to the finer points of biking as early as possible, while also encouraging young girls to get involved in cycling.
The programme will introduce BMX, as a UCI cycling discipline with BMX as a discipline in which kids can take part in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, provided they meet the required criteria.
Among important aspects will be the training of local coaches to upgrade them to an NCF Level 1 Coaching qualification, allowing them in turn to train kids taking part in the Saturday morning event, or any other interested kids.
In between, NCF will also hand over eight bikes and helmets to the local partners in Omaruru, with a coaching clinic also scheduled at the Omaruru Education Centre Conference Room.
The BMX Race Day gets underway on Saturday, 23 July at the Mabokke Sports Stadium in the town’s Ozondje location.
For more information; please contact the Secretary General of the NCF, Ms Sally Harper @081 124 0111.
The project is supported by the directorate of sport and will be rolled out to other regions in due course.