The Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) yesterday announced that this year’s Namibia Annual Sports Awards (NASA) and Sports Expo, will be held in Swakopmund in October.
The sports expo will take place from 25 to 27, while the awards ceremony will take place on 28 October at the MTC Dome.
The director of the sports expo, Tjeripo Musutua, said four federations have already confirmed their participation in the fourth edition of the event.
These are the Namibia Chess Federation (NCF), Namibia Kickboxing Federation, Namibia Ice and Inline Hockey Association, and Namibia Archery.
“We want to attract a large number of international exhibitors. The expo will revolve around the theme ‘High Performance in Sport in Africa’, and we will have international speakers,” he said.
The NSC also announced that the 19th edition of NASA will be held under the theme ‘Celebrating Sporting Excellency’.
The event will see 19 sportsmen and women battle it out for honours in 19 different categories, and submissions are open until 21 September.
Chalo Chainda, the project manager, expressed excitement for this year’s NASA, saying: “We anticipate an extraordinary and distinctive event this year. Through these awards, we celebrate excellence in sports and ensure that those who have worked hard are properly rewarded for their immense efforts. We are committed to fairness and impartiality, ensuring that deserving individuals receive the recognition they deserve.”
The CEO of the MTC Dome, Fanus Engelbrecht, praised the partnership between the NSC and the MTC Dome, emphasising the importance of providing accessible facilities for athletes to compete at the highest level.
“Talented athletes in Namibia require a conducive environment to unlock their full potential. By recognising this, we can cultivate a larger pool of athletes competing at the highest level. Establishing relationships with all federations is crucial to ensure athletes can utilise the facilities and enhance performances in top-tier competitions,” Engelbrecht said.
During the same event, NSC chief administrator Freddy Mwiya emphasised the significance of both the awards and the expo in terms of promoting and developing sports.
He stressed that rewarding talented athletes is a motivation for current and aspiring athletes to excel in their respective fields.
“These initiatives play a vital role in our mission to develop more sportsmen and women. It is an honour for us to continue recognising and awarding our top athletes. For instance, we recently had a para-team that competed in France, and they truly deserve this recognition and reward,” Mwiya said.