The championship’s Local Organising Committee (LOC) on Monday hosted a high profile guest – former Olympic sprints medallist Frankie Fredericks – who is in the country to assess its preparations for the July 28 to August 1 continental meeting.
Fredericks, a World and Olympics sprints silver medallist, is leading an inspection delegation from the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA).
Warm-up track
LOC officials faced a torrid time yesterday as they fielded questions from Fredericks, who is the continental games’ organising delegate.
Although Fredericks did not address journalists, he expressed his satisfaction with the general state of the stadium and some of its facilities, especially plans for a new tartan warm-up track, the doping control room and the mixed zone area.
However, he asked the LOC to rework the media tribune and media centre, and improve the VIP area.
A tartan link between the warm-up track and the competition track is also required, the Namibian legend advised.
Fredericks will make a report to the CAA at the end of his tour and will brief journalists Wednesday.
The Namibian, who is accompanied by the competition’s technical delegate, Vivian Gungaram, and Lamine Faty, the CAA secretary general on the five-day inspection tour, will today study accommodation and transport arrangements.
“The inspection team is here to check the facilities and see what requires adjustment. They are supposed to advise us on how to go about the organisation,” said David Okeyo, the LOC’s chief executive officer.
Benjamin Sogomo, a member of the LOC who is also the chief executive officer of the Sports Stadia Management Board, said his office will be able to make all the adjustments the inspectors require.
From Monday’s inspection, it is clear that the organisers have their work cut out in the field events department after Fredricks voiced his concern over the security of athletes competing on the tartan when the field events are in progress.
Okeyo promised to address his fears urgently. Sogomo also confirmed that some seats will be placed in the 30,000 capacity stadium although not in all areas.
“We will bring in seats for the championships, especially for the VIP deck and adjacent areas,” said Sogomo.
Okeyo said all the 54 African countries invited had confirmed their participation in the five-day meet where places on the African team to the World Cup in Split, Czech Republic, in September, will be up for grabs.