With just a few hours before the curtain rises at the 11th edition of the AUSC Region 5 Youth Games, excitement is steadily building as Windhoek and Swakopmund prepare to welcome the region’s finest young athletes.
As the games officially get underway today, New Era Sport takes you, our esteemed readers and viewers on a tour of the sporting facilities that will host the action.
From football pitches and athletics tracks to swimming pools and netball courts, here’s where the future stars of African sport will compete.
The Games will run from today to 13 July, with a total of 10 countries from the region participating. More than 1 500 athletes are expected to compete across various sporting disciplines.
Vineta Stadium
Located in the heart of Swakopmund, Vineta Stadium will play a crucial role during the games, serving as the athletics hub from Monday, 7 July to Thursday, 10 July. The venue, which boasts a 10 000-spectator capacity, recently underwent refurbishments to ensure the track meets international standards for competition.
Unam Plaza and Showground Sports Plaza
Both situated in Windhoek, these venues will host the basketball games, scheduled to run from Saturday, 5 July to 12 July.
The Showground Plaza will also host Judo (starting 8 July) and Karate (commencing tomorrow). Additionally, netball, which kick-off on Sunday, 6 July, will be played at the same venue. Table tennis and select volleyball fixtures will also be staged at the Showground facility, making it one of the busiest arenas of the tournament.
After School Care Centre
Located in Grysblok, amid the lively streets of Katutura, the After School Care Centre will host all boxing matches during the games. The boxing tournament begins on 8 July and concludes on 12 July. The venue is expected to draw large crowds, especially from the Katutura community, eager to support the region’s rising boxing prospects.
Hage Geingob Rugby Stadium and Unam Stadium
The famous Hage Geingob Rugby Stadium will be one of two venues staging football matches during the games. It will specifically host the COSAFA U20 Men’s Football tournament. Meanwhile, the Unam Stadium will stage fixtures in the women’s football division, with both venues expected to deliver thrilling football action.
The Cube Swimming Centre
An outdoor facility based in Swakopmund, The Cube will host the swimming events, starting 5 July. Top swimmers from across the region will dive in as they chase medals and personal bests in one of the most anticipated competitions of the games.
Central Tennis Court
The Central Tennis Court will see the region’s top young tennis talents battle for glory. It will serve as the sole venue for all tennis matches throughout the seven-day tournament.
Giving updates on the facilities and Namibia’s readiness for the 11th edition of the AUSC Region 5 Games, the Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp, told New Era Sport this week facilities have been secured and ready to house athletes for various competitions. She added that some facilities had to go a major refurbishment. “Several dilapidated sports facilities at Unam went through refurbishment.
The Afterschool centre, which serves as the national hub for boxing and wrestling, under the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, is being upgraded,”
“The Vineta Stadium in Swakopmund is being improved, including track and facility repairs. Most notably, the Windhoek Municipal Swimming Pool is being fitted with a heating system and upgraded to World Aquatics (FINA) standards, laying the foundation for Namibia to host international aquatic events in future,” she said. This year’s edition of the Games will feature the following sporting codes: Athletics (including able-bodied, visually impaired, and Special Olympics), basketball, basketball 3×3, beach volleyball, boxing, e-sports, football, judo, karate, netball, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, and swimming.
-mkambukwe@nepc.com.na