OPUWO:This weekend, Opuwo in the Kunene Region is set to host the premiere of the Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah Cup.
Recognized as the most significant grassroots sporting event in the Kunene regional sports calendar, the tournament is themed ‘Youth Revival in Sports’ and will take place at the Newman Katuta Sports Field. Participants will compete in four distinct categories: football, netball, volleyball, and tug-of-war.
Tuaondja Mbinge, one of the event’s organisers, elucidated on Thursday that the cup aims to unify sports enthusiasts and entrepreneurs with a shared goal: fostering sports, promoting tourism, and recognizing budding talent. Mbinge elaborated, “The overarching goal is to rejuvenate sports and mutually learn, while emphasizing the intrinsic value of sports in driving economic growth, alleviating poverty, and championing sustainable development.”
In a bid to improve infrastructure, proceeds from the tournament will also be directed towards the renovation of the sports field and the establishment of new stadiums.
The prize pool for the event is pegged at N.dollars 100,000, which will be distributed among the four categories. A total of more than 30 football, 15 netball, five volleyball, and four tug-of-war teams will vie for victory. Registration fees vary by category, and the prizes for winners range from N.dollars 2,500 for the tug-of-war victors to N.dollars 25,000 for the champion football team. Mbinge also noted a restriction on the participation of premier league players, with only three allowed per team.
Details of this initiative were provided by The Namibian News Agency.