Youngsters get funds to prepare for Olympics

THE Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) yesterday handed over a preparation grant to the five athletes that will represent the country at the Inaugural Youth Olympic Games later this year.

Runner Julia Handyene, gymnast Anica Profitt, swimmer Quinton Delie, triathlete Abraham Louw and wrestler Jason Afrikaner each received N$30 000 to aid them with preparation for the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics that will be held in Singapore between August 13 and 26. The grants were made possible by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through its Olympic Solidarity Programme. NNOC marketing chairperson Ndelipula Hamutumwa said the sports body was ‘passionate about the athletes’ preparation’ and urged the entire nation to rally behind the youngsters ahead of and during the scheduled major international sports and cultural festival to be celebrated in the tradition of the Summer Olympic Games.’I would like to call upon all private businesses across this beautiful country, NGOs and the general public rally and support our athletes, financially, and in kind, in our vigorous campaign to encourage the athletes to prepare adequately and effectively to be medal contenders at the upcoming historical games,’ he said.The five national representatives also received laptop computers with Internet access to help them keep up to date with relevant developments in sports and to document their trip to the Youth Olympic Games. The total sum of N$250 000 will be spent on the preparations of Namibian athletes, as other anticipated qualifiers will also benefit from the funds. Hamutumwa also announced that the deadline for the final qualification for the 2010 Commonwealth Games has been moved to August 31. He said in order to make the final team, the hopefuls will have to meet the qualification criteria set by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). To qualify, the athlete must rank in the top two positions in their discipline on the continent.’We humbly request the federations and associations to revisit the criteria and ensure that the athletes meet the said standards, times and positions in continental ranking,’ said Hamutumwa.At the moment 19 athletes have met the required qualification standard through continental participation in 2009 but now will have to prove their fitness for this year. They include road runners Beata Naigambo, Helalia Johannes and Reinhold Iita, archer Ben van Wyk, gymnasts Kimberly-Anne van Zyl and Robert Honnibal, the ten-member men’s and women’s bowls teams, as well as para-Olympians Johanna Benson, Ruben Soroseb and Reginald Benade.