National Zonal Athletics Championship in the offing

The Department of State for Youth and Sports is planning to stage a National Zonal Athletics Championship for the fist time in the country.

The Championship is being tentatively fixed for the weekend of December 4th, 5th and 5th 2009, at the Independence Stadium, Bakau, where all regions (BCC, KMC WR, LRR, NRR, CRR, URR) together with tertiary institutions and Armed Forces will be represented and shall complete in all areas of track and field events geared towards achieving sports for excellence.

To ensure a successful event, a National Organising Committee (NOC), under the chairmanship of the Youth and Sports supremo, Mr Sheriff Gomez, are working in collaboration with the Gambia Athletics Association (GAA), whose president, Fred Lloyd Evans, doubles as the  deputy chairperson and technical advisor to the chairperson. The newly constituted Alex Dacosta,-led interim National Sports Council,  according to a statement issued by the National Organising Committee, will work closely as part of the committee for the successful organisation of the event, which is also meant to fish out the good talents.

The statement added: “The NOC has been challenged by its Chairperson to ensure regional and wide engagement throughout the country.  This warrants inclusion of all sports bodies, institutions and agencies.” “This championship is necessitate by the Department of State’s new mission to ensure that our sportsmen and women go out and compete and win glorious awards for The Gambia and not just to participate.”

“It is believed that with proper infrastructure, committed regional sporting committees and with diverse sporting activities underpinned by all inclusive national competitions where regions are equally represented, this can be attainable.” “It is hope that this will increase the number of national championships, heighten the level of competitions and also enhance talent identification of the national athletics team.”