Boost for disadvantaged athletes
March 01, 2005 Edition 1
Iqbal Khan
The Department of Sport and Recreation came to the rescue of KwaZulu-Natal Athletics yesterday when they announced a sponsorship which will help bus previously disadvantaged athletes to attend this weekend's meeting at King's Park.
More than 1 100 athletes from all over KwaZulu-Natal - mainly from the previously disadvantaged communities - will participate in the Youth and Junior Championship at the athletics headquarters on Saturday and Sunday.
Joyce Smith, chief executive of KwaZulu-Natal Athletics, said: "We are delighted to announce that the Department of Sport and Recreation will assist us in bringing athletes from all over the province for the KZN Youth and Junior Championships.
"It's difficult and costly for the parents to bring their kids to the meeting and we are extremely grateful to the department for their assistance.
Their assistance came at the right time - we really did not know how to get the athletes to Durban.'' Smith said that most of the young athletes, who have tremendous potential to go on to make a career in the game, will get their first taste of running on a tartan track.
"We'd like to expose them to the best facilities in Durban and we would like to hone their skills so that athletics in the province is ready for the future. We have over the years spotted outstanding talent from these meetings and we hope to find a few more at the weekend," she said.
Two of them who come to mind are S'busiso Sishi, who recently participated in the Absa Series, and Alvin Samuels, who clocked his personal best in the 400m of 48.42 seconds at the same meeting.
Buses will bring in athletes from as far as Nongoma, Vryheid, Newcastle, Ulundi, Pietermaritzburg, Port Shepstone and Dundee.
For further information of the championship and transport contact KwaZulu-Natal Athletics on 031 312 9373.
