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Sport continues to prove it is a powerful unifying factor despite the dark cloud of xenophobia that has covered South Africa in the past few weeks.
Proof of this is the upcoming SA Open Championships that has attracted a number of foreign athletes to the track and field meeting that will take place in Potchefstroom, North West, at the weekend.
The two-day event – on Friday and Saturday – is open to local and international athletes.
“I can confirm that the entries from outside South Africa are overwhelming.
“We received entries from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Seychelles, Mauritius, Namibia, Kenya and some European countries, among others,” Athletics SA (ASA) acting office manager Pieter de Jager told City Press this week.
The SA Open Track and Field Championships, to be held at the McArthur Stadium in the North West dorpie, serves as part of senior and youth athletes’ preparations for the International Association of Athletics Federations world youth and senior championships in July and August, respectively.
“We need them [foreign athletes], because they help to raise the standard of our athletics,” said ASA president Aleck Skhosana.
He assured the visiting athletes of their safety during their stay in the country. “We have established a good working relationship with the likes of Kenya and Botswana. Zimbabwe has now invited us to send athletes to compete in their national track and field championships at the end of the month.”
Kenya is home to the world’s leading middle-distance runners and Skhosana said there were already talks between the ASA and the east African country to send South African endurance runners to train there
