Athletics Namibia moves closer to get house in order

ATHLETICS Namibia will move another step closer to getting its house in order when four vacant positions are filled on Heroes’ Day in Tsumeb this month.

The athletics body has been operating without a secretary general, a treasurer, a medical and doping member and an additional official for more than three months. The former secretary general, Elizabeth Kamutuezu, called its quits earlier this year, citing work commitments, while the former treasurer, Bafana Tjiueza, also resigned from the problem-riddled organisation.AN president Alpha Kangueehi yesterday told The Namibian Sport that a special congress was billed for Tsumeb on August 26, where the positions would be filled so that the organisation could get back to business on an administrative level.Regions that are affiliated to the mother body are required to make their nominations by August 15 for the congress to proceed.The body has six active regions that should submit their nominations and these include Caprivi, Kavango, Oshana, Khomas, Kunene and North Central.Omaheke and Hardap are not affiliated to AN, while Karas, Ohangwena, Omusati and Oshikoto have applied for membership.Neither of them will be required to submit nominations.Kangueehi said all the regions were aware of the special congress and he reminded them to make their submissions in time to prevent any delays.The congress will also discuss the annual report of the president, while the audited income and expenditure statements and balance sheets will also be presented.It is not yet clear who has so far been nominated, but Tjiueza has expressed willingness to take over the treasury position.He said the body, which had a leadership crisis, was slowly coming back to full operation and once the positions were filled, it would be firing on all cylinders again.In the meantime, the body has sent a team of six elite athletes to the African Senior Athletics Championships in Mauritius, which will start next Wednesday.The athletes who will represent the country are 800-metre ace Agnes Samaria, Benedictus Botha in the 100m, Stephan Louw and Roger Haitengi in the long jump and high jumper Salomo Tuaire.The sixth athlete is Matthew Hoeb, who will be competing in the walking event.Kangueehi says the Namibian team should return with at least one medal, with high hopes on Samaria and Louw, who have competed in many international competitions before.Samaria is a seasoned and well-travelled middle-distance runner, but can expect tough competition from her fellow Africans despite the absence of her main rival, Maria Mutola of Mozambique, who is involved in races on the European circuit.Botha has proven his worth in both South Africa and Namibia, while Tuaire will be there for the first time.Hoeb will compete in the walking event for the first time, but the former long-distance runner has scooped all home titles during the past two years since taking up walking.The team is accompanied by coach Sakkie Mouton and team manager Adios Aochamub.Meanwhile, a team of six athletes is expected to leave for Beijing, China, next week where they will compete at the Junior World Championships from August 15 to 20.The juniors who will go to Beijing are Horatius Abrahams (400m hurdles), Theresia Alushidi (1 500m), Globien Muyova (100m and 200m), Tjipekapora Herunga (400m), Tiaan Maritz (110m hurdles) and Regan Ngoshi (100 and 200m).The former secretary general, Elizabeth Kamutuezu, called its quits earlier this year, citing work commitments, while the former treasurer, Bafana Tjiueza, also resigned from the problem-riddled organisation.AN president Alpha Kangueehi yesterday told The Namibian Sport that a special congress was billed for Tsumeb on August 26, where the positions would be filled so that the organisation could get back to business on an administrative level.Regions that are affiliated to the mother body are required to make their nominations by August 15 for the congress to proceed.The body has six active regions that should submit their nominations and these include Caprivi, Kavango, Oshana, Khomas, Kunene and North Central.Omaheke and Hardap are not affiliated to AN, while Karas, Ohangwena, Omusati and Oshikoto have applied for membership.Neither of them will be required to submit nominations.Kangueehi said all the regions were aware of the special congress and he reminded them to make their submissions in time to prevent any delays.The congress will also discuss the annual report of the president, while the audited income and expenditure statements and balance sheets will also be presented.It is not yet clear who has so far been nominated, but Tjiueza has expressed willingness to take over the treasury position.He said the body, which had a leadership crisis, was slowly coming back to full operation and once the positions were filled, it would be firing on all cylinders again.In the meantime, the body has sent a team of six elite athletes to the African Senior Athletics Championships in Mauritius, which will start next Wednesday.The athletes who will represent the country are 800-metre ace Agnes Samaria, Benedictus Botha in the 100m, Stephan Louw and Roger Haitengi in the long jump and high jumper Salomo Tuaire.The sixth athlete is Matthew Hoeb, who will be competing in the walking event.Kangueehi says the Namibian team should return with at least one medal, with high hopes on Samaria and Louw, who have competed in many international competitions before.Samaria is a seasoned and well-travelled middle-distance runner, but can expect tough competition from her fellow Africans despite the absence of her main rival, Maria Mutola of Mozambique, who is involved in races on the European circuit.Botha has proven his worth in both South Africa and Namibia, while Tuaire will be there for the first time.Hoeb will compete in the walking event for the first time, but the former long-distance runner has scooped all home titles during the past two years since taking up walking.The team is accompanied by coach Sakkie Mouton and team manager Adios Aochamub.Meanwhile, a team of six athletes is expected to leave for Beijing, China, next week where they will compete at the Junior World Championships from August 15 to 20.The juniors who will go to Beijing are Horatius Abrahams (400m hurdles), Theresia Alushidi (1 500m), Globien Muyova (100m and 200m), Tjipekapora Herunga (400m), Tiaan Maritz (110m hurdles) and Regan Ngoshi (100 and 200m).