Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 recently reactivated the regional marathon, which was successfully hosted by South Africa.
It was the first time in five years the event was held after being shelved due to Covid-19.
The event is one of the various activities run by the region to promote sport, inclusivity, healthy lifestyles and unity.
It also presents a platform for businesses to interact with communities within the 10-member countries — Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
AUSC Region 5 chief executive officer Stanley Mutoya said their intention was to make the event “a qualifier for other bigger championships”.
“We want to try and make it easier for African athletes to qualify by hosting credible events within the region,” he said.
“We don’t want our athletes to go and qualify in Europe, in Asia, even in North Africa, because it’s expensive. As a region, our strategy right now is meetings, incentives, conferences and events to try and ensure that we host credible events that our athletes can use to benefit.”
AUSC continues to push for more initiatives and programmes designed to contribute to the development and growth of sport.
These include the AUSC Region 5 Games; Women in Sport; and Sport for People with Disabilities programmes; as well as long-term athletes and coach development programmes.
“The AUSC Region 5 Youth Games are our flagship development programme designed to use sport as a tool for youth empowerment, regional integration and talent identification,” said Mutoya.
“They bring together over 2 000 athletes and officials from the 10-member countries every two years, creating a competitive but developmental environment where young people experience high-level international competition at an early stage.
“Beyond the Games, we implement initiatives such as the Women in Sport, and Sport for People with Disabilities programmes, which advance inclusion and gender equity.
“The Region 5 Marathon and Walk for Life series promote health, wellness and community engagement. Capacity-building and governance initiatives ensure that sport becomes an agent of social change and economic development across the region.”
These initiatives, Mutoya added, are helping improve athletes’ performance, while capacity-building initiatives have also impacted governance of sport.
“The Youth Games have been a launchpad for many of Africa’s sporting heroes.
“Athletes who first competed at the Region 5 Games have gone on to represent their nations at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships,” he said.
“The Games have strengthened national sport systems by improving standards of competition management, officiating and coaching. They have created a sustainable talent pipeline, enabling federations to nurture athletes from youth level to elite performance.”
Some of the targeted capacity-building programmes that have been rolled out are the Long-Term Athlete and Coaches Development Programme, which guides countries to create structured athlete pathways; while the Sport Management Development Programme is delivered in partnership with Bindura University of Science Education.
Further, talent identification and grassroots development programmes are helping countries broaden participation and improve national performance structures.
Mutoya believes these programmes are bearing fruit.
“Our athletes are breaking into international podiums, showing improved performance and professionalism. Several member countries now have enhanced national sport frameworks and technical capacity,” he said.
“We are witnessing increased participation of women and people with disabilities, showing progress towards inclusivity.
“These results affirm that Region 5’s development model is working and making measurable impact.”
He, however, admits that there is room for improvement in investing in sport science, strengthening data management and performance monitoring systems, as well as deepening public-private partnerships for sustainable funding.
He also said there was need to improve integration between schools, community clubs and elite academies.
While implementation of the various programmes may vary across Region 5 member countries, recent performances at international events are encouraging.
Botswana, for example, continues to make great strides on the global stage.
“These performances confirm that Southern Africa is rising.
“They reflect the investment and collaboration we have built across the region,” added Mutoya.
“When athletes from Region 5 excel on the global stage, they demonstrate that our development pathway — from the Region 5 Youth Games to international competition — works.
“We celebrate South Africa’s continued excellence, Zimbabwe’s rugby resurgence and Malawi, Botswana, Eswatini and others making steady progress in athletics, netball and football.
“These achievements give us confidence that our vision of transforming Southern Africa into a powerhouse of sport development is within reach.
“We are proud of our athletes — and we remain committed to building stronger systems that will keep producing such results.”
