This year’s edition of the annual Marathon Sugar Quinton-Steele Botes (QSB) coaching and training camp will focus on long- and middle-distance running.

Organiser Leonie van Rensburg yesterday told New Era Sport that in the past, their main focus was more on short distances and it was time they changed.

“We’ve noticed that Namibia boasts a good number of long- and middle-distance runners with potential but lack of training and proper guidance has always led to failure. We have (Olympic medalist) Helalia Johannes who is about to retire and we need a replacement for such talent, and it’s our job to start from the grassroots up nurturing talent,” she said.

The 30th annual QSB training camp will take place from Monday to Thursday next week at Affies Park at Wanderers Sports in the capital.

Van Rensburg said they are at an advanced stage of planning and the number of entries is increasing by the day.

“We hope to see a big event compared to last year’s one. We will have local and international coaches taking care of the training camp, and we expect to have 250 athletes at the camp, which is more compared to last year’s number which was 120,” she said.

Entries are open until Monday morning ahead of the opening ceremony. 

Apart from the middle- and long-distances, the camp will still offer sprints, high jump, shot put, javelin, triple jump, discuss, hurdles and hammer throw.  

- mkambukwe@nepc.com.na