Eye on the future The BMX nationals finals held at the Katutura Youth Complex in Windhoek on Saturday morning saw some exciting cycling with more than 60 children from across Namibia participating in the inaugural event.It was also clear that there is indeed considerable cycling talent in this country, and therefore a need to start developing such riders from a young age, such as the RMB/NCF “Kids on Bikes” project.
Namibia National Olympics Committee (NNOC) representative Dawie Augustyn encouraged the youngsters to aim to compete at future Olympic Games.
The event forms part of the Namibian Cycling Federation’s (NCF) 5-year development plan to encourage cycling, and notably BMX as a cycling discipline amongst youngsters at grassroots level.
The “Kids on Bikes” project is promoted by RMB Namibia through the FNB Namibia Holdings Foundation Trust and has seen youngsters from Omuthiya, Okahandja, Gobabis and Omaruru participate in these types of events over the past few months.
At all towns, coaches were trained by the NCF to ensure that the project remains on-going and active within their respective communities.
BMX bicycles and helmets were handed over to different communities, courtesy of RMB Namibia.
Apart from the top riders from the various regions where BMX centres have been established, three teams from Windhoek participated, namely a combined Kayec/PAY team, a combined Vertigo BMX Club/Suiderhof Primary School team and Rock Hoppers, bringing the total participants to 80 children.
BMX as a sport is growing steadily in Namibia, with the construction of an additional pump track in Windhoek envisioned for the not too distant future, as well as an invitation from UCI (the world governing body for sports cycling) to send two under-23 Namibians to a BMX training camp in Switzerland.
The “Kids on Bikes” events held across Namibia recently, have been met with great enthusiasm and support.
According NCF secretary-general Sally Harper the amount of interest shown in the sport by children is amazing.
“It is super to see so many kids interested in learning to ride BMX bikes and their enthusiasm during race-day competitions,” Harper, who works with NCF Development Officer Hella Rust to deliver the Kids on Bikes project, said.
“We are especially pleased with the number of girls who have participated and the number of teachers and parents present too.”
The project will be expanded to include more age groups in 2017.
Results:
Girls 8 and under
1. Faheefa Morkel(BMX Vertigo/Suiderhof primary)
2. Jolene Nautoro (BMX Omaruru)
3. Elma Itope (BMX Gobabis)
Girls 10 and under
1. Alicia Engelbrecht (BMX Vertigo/Suiderhof primary)
2. Jenny Resburg (BMX Omaruru)
3. Naemi Kapingana (PAY/KAYEC)
Boys 8 and under
1. Nathan Chase (St Georges)
2. Zach Philander (BMX Vertigo/Suiderhof)
3. Peter Grant Steenkamp (BMX Gobabis)
Boys 10 and under
1. Rocha Afrikaner (BMX Gobabis)
2. Aidan Engelbrecht (BMX Vertigo/Suiderhof)
3. Pius Junior Amungulu (BMX Gobabis)
SPORT REPORTER