Zebaldt Ngaruka
EPUKIRO – Schools in the Omaheke region held their Zonal Athletics champs in various constituencies over the weekend.
This is part of their efforts to prepare athletes for the regional games, slated for Gobabis on 20 April.
The Zonal Athletics competition is a platform where each zone in the region selects the best athletes to represent their clusters at both regional and national level.
In the Aminuis constituency, the Rietquelle High School hosted the games, where six schools participated at the school’s sports ground.
The participating schools were the host Rietquelle High School (HS), Chief Hosea Kutako Primary School (PS), Dr Fischer PS, Motsomi PS, Mokaleng RC Combined School and Chief Sophia Jacobs PS.
In an interview with the New Era Sports desk, organising committee member Vetjiua Hengari said the games went well, despite minor challenges.
“As a secondary school, we did not have items for junior athletes or the primary phase, and we borrowed from our neighbouring school,” she said. On the ranking aspect of best- performing school, Hengari pointed out that there was no ranking of schools, as they had only selected the best participants in the zone.
“Overally, Chief Hosea Kutako performed well in the junior phase, while Rietquelle shone in the senior category, based on the number of athletes who qualified for the regional athletics meet,” she observed.
In Gobabis, 20 schools took part in the Zonal Athletics held at the Legare Stadium on Saturday.
One of the event organisers, Zelda Katjingisiua, told this publication that schools in their cluster have improved in terms of performance.
The Nossob Combined School topped the rankings, followed by Epako HS in second place and Ben van der Walt PS in third place.
Izak Boys HS took the fourth spot, Rakutuka PS fifth, Ernst Meyer PS settled for sixth position, whereas Wennie du Plessis HS and Gobabis PS claimed position seven and eight in the rankings, respectively.
Katjingisiua highlighted the lack of sponsorship for an event of this magnitude from the Gobabis business community.
“We could not even award the best performers with medals, as there were no sponsors. Athletes need motivation at events like this, and while young, “she pleaded.
The Zonal Athletics coordinator for Tallismanus Zonal Athletics in the Otjombinde constituency, Andreas Andreas, said the games staged at Vergenoeg PS sports ground went smoothly, despite the lack of some items and equipment.
“We cooperated, and schools supported each other with items, which was good for the completion of our games. We selected our best athletes, and are excited that we will do wonders at regional games,” said Andreas.
About six schools participated in the event, with Helena PS ranked top performer, followed by Traugot Kandorozu PS in second place.
C. Heuva Secondary School came third, whereas the host Vergenoeg PS claimed the fourth spot, ahead of Donkerbos PS in fifth position.
Tianjiu Happiness Hope PS, better- known as the Chinese school, held the sixth place in the rankings.
A notable absentee from the games was Blouberg PS, which cited financial constraints as the reason for not taking part in this year’s event.
The coordinator added that he is happy with the selected athletes, and aims for bright outcomes at the regional level.
“We had athletes who went to represent our zone up to the national level in the past, and that will motivate these selected ones,” emphasised Andreas.
On his part, Ivo Mate, who is the Namibia Schools Sports Union chairperson for the Omaheke region, said he is happy that athletics development in the region is prime in most schools.
The chairperson views these Zonal Games as important to the promotion of athletics in schools, especially in the rural areas.
“The future looks bright. It’s good that the zones are preparing for the regional games, which is also the gateway for our athletes in the region to represent them at national level, which may lead to them to be selected for international meets,” Mate elaborated.