Top Ten Club Athletics Champs held next week

THE Coca Cola Top Ten Club Championships will be held at the Independence Stadium in Windhoek on March 24.

The announcement came after Namibia Beverages announced a sponsorship of N$15 000 for the event yesterday. It will be the tenth consecutive year for clubs across the country to compete at that level and only five top women and five men are crowned as winners, representing their clubs.The top athletes from each club have to accumulate points to eventually determine the winning club.Athletics consultant and coach Quinton-Steele Botes said the competition will be the biggest this year, with more than ten clubs expected to compete.The competition starts at 17h00 on Friday and ends at 20h00.He said confirmation for the event has been received from towns such as Tsumeb, where a new athletics club was recently formed, while others will be from Rundu, Gobabis, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Keetmanshoop, Rehoboth and even Bergsig.Bergsig is boasting with two newly formed athletics clubs by former marathon runner Emile Roman.Botes said all athletes travelling from outside the capital would be accommodated at a local high school and their meals will be covered by the sponsorship.He said clubs would also be assisted with their transport costs.”The championships will also allow junior athletes to take part for them to have an opportunity to qualify for the Coca Cola Schools’ National Championships,” he said.The schools’ championships will be held on the weekend of March 31 and April 1, also at the Independence Stadium.On April 7, the famous Coca Cola Frank Fredericks Invitational will be held at the same venue and several top local and southern African athletes will compete.Botes also said that the Khomas Athletics Region would hold six meets this year, to be organised by different clubs in Windhoek.The first meet will be held at Independence Stadium on Saturday.The Golden Cheetah Athletics Club will host the one-hour event.Botes said the next two events are planned for later in the year and will be hosted by the Windhoek High School (WHS) Athletics Club.It will be the tenth consecutive year for clubs across the country to compete at that level and only five top women and five men are crowned as winners, representing their clubs.The top athletes from each club have to accumulate points to eventually determine the winning club.Athletics consultant and coach Quinton-Steele Botes said the competition will be the biggest this year, with more than ten clubs expected to compete.The competition starts at 17h00 on Friday and ends at 20h00.He said confirmation for the event has been received from towns such as Tsumeb, where a new athletics club was recently formed, while others will be from Rundu, Gobabis, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Keetmanshoop, Rehoboth and even Bergsig.Bergsig is boasting with two newly formed athletics clubs by former marathon runner Emile Roman.Botes said all athletes travelling from outside the capital would be accommodated at a local high school and their meals will be covered by the sponsorship.He said clubs would also be assisted with their transport costs.”The championships will also allow junior athletes to take part for them to have an opportunity to qualify for the Coca Cola Schools’ National Championships,” he said.The schools’ championships will be held on the weekend of March 31 and April 1, also at the Independence Stadium.On April 7, the famous Coca Cola Frank Fredericks Invitational will be held at the same venue and several top local and southern African athletes will compete.Botes also said that the Khomas Athletics Region would hold six meets this year, to be organised by different clubs in Windhoek.The first meet will be held at Independence Stadium on Saturday.The Golden Cheetah Athletics Club will host the one-hour event.Botes said the next two events are planned for later in the year and will be hosted by the Windhoek High School (WHS) Athletics Club.