Youth Games open today
The 2020 Region 5 Youth Games start today in Maseru, Lesotho.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
LESOTHO
The ninth edition of the Region 5 Games have attracted athletes from Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe in 12 disciplines ranging from athletics, para-athletics, and swimming, to volleyball, boxing, tennis, netball, judo, taekwondo, gymnastics, football and basketball.
Games will be played at the National University of Lesotho campus as well as the Setsoto Stadium.
The organisers stressed that they intend on hosting a secure and exceptional Games despite the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.
Namibia will start competing on 4 December in the disciplines of boxing, netball and volleyball.
The coach of the six-man boxing team, Joel Ngungu, said they had their first training session yesterday morning.
“We did cardio and worked on techniques. We can’t wait for Saturday. For now, we keep training and see who our competition is on Saturday,” said Ngungu.
The last Youth Games were held in Botswana in 2019. Last year’s Games came to a screeching halt due to Covid-19.
However, the Games are geared to go, giving athletes a chance of career recovery as the Games have direct impact on their career pathways.
The Games have a very significant role to play as they prepare athletes for the Region 5 Games which will be hosted in Malawi 2022, from which potential athletes will emerge for the African Games slated for Ghana 2023.
Athletes will then proceed to qualify for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to be hosted in Paris.
One notable name to emerge from the Region 5 Games is South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk.
He holds the current 400-metres world and Olympic records.
LESOTHO
The ninth edition of the Region 5 Games have attracted athletes from Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe in 12 disciplines ranging from athletics, para-athletics, and swimming, to volleyball, boxing, tennis, netball, judo, taekwondo, gymnastics, football and basketball.
Games will be played at the National University of Lesotho campus as well as the Setsoto Stadium.
The organisers stressed that they intend on hosting a secure and exceptional Games despite the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.
Namibia will start competing on 4 December in the disciplines of boxing, netball and volleyball.
The coach of the six-man boxing team, Joel Ngungu, said they had their first training session yesterday morning.
“We did cardio and worked on techniques. We can’t wait for Saturday. For now, we keep training and see who our competition is on Saturday,” said Ngungu.
The last Youth Games were held in Botswana in 2019. Last year’s Games came to a screeching halt due to Covid-19.
However, the Games are geared to go, giving athletes a chance of career recovery as the Games have direct impact on their career pathways.
The Games have a very significant role to play as they prepare athletes for the Region 5 Games which will be hosted in Malawi 2022, from which potential athletes will emerge for the African Games slated for Ghana 2023.
Athletes will then proceed to qualify for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to be hosted in Paris.
One notable name to emerge from the Region 5 Games is South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk.
He holds the current 400-metres world and Olympic records.
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