CUCSA games kick-off

MOSAH MOKGANEDI
Correspondent | Wednesday July 7, 2010 00:00

 

At least 2,000 athletes from tertiary institutions from nine southern African countries are taking part in 12 disciplines at the games.

Hosts Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Swaziland, Malawi, Angola, Lesotho and Namibia are competing in karate, netball, basketball, athletics, chess, darts, football, table tennis, tennis and volleyball.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, the Games Organising Committee chairperson, Kgosi Gaborone of Balete said CUCSA had shown confidence in Botswana by awarding the country the right to host the games. 'We promise that we will not disappoint the CUCSA leadership for it has already bestowed trust on us by awarding us the opportunity to host the games,' Gaborone said.

He said the games will give youngsters an opportunity to sharpen their skills to compete internationally.  CUCSA president, Ban Naobeb said the games have come a long way considering that when they started, there was no infrastructure. 'Today the University of Botswana (UB) campus has changed in stature and high-class sporting facilities are all over the campus,' he said. He said the infrastructure that UB has developed is a testimony to how serious hosting the games has become. He added that the games have helped in the development of infrastructure of national universities of each member country of CUCSA. The athletes' village is at the UB campus. After the official opening, there was a football match between Botswana and South Africa that ended 2-2. The games end on Saturday.