Eight athletes to be sent out for training
The South Sudan Athletic Federation is set to send eight of its athletes outside the country for additional training in preparation for regional competitions.
On Thursday, the country’s athletic federation organized group A national trial athletic competition in Juba as they seek to identify the best athletes that would be in its national team.
In a statement to the media after the event, South Sudan’s Secretary-General for Athletics, Marco Akol Deng, said the national trial aimed at finding the best athletes for the national team that will be competing in different competitions.
“Since last year, we have organized same different national trails, especially in Juba, Aweil and Wau, as a federation, that time we got more than 35 athletes, so now because we need to select the best and send them outside the country, we call again on the numbers of athletes to come and participate in two groups which are in Juba and Wau.”
According to the Secretary-General the two groups, for instance, group A in Juba, the federation will select the best records athletes as well as from Wau group B and compare together and get out the best number which later will be sent outside the country for training in some of the best camps in the region.
“We are trying to send at least eight if not seven that will join others who are already in some camps outside the country,” he revealed.
Mr. Deng added that those athletes that will be selected, they would not take them far but they will be sent to neighboring Uganda as there are some good facilities for training.
He said more than six athletes are camping outside the country including three in Kenya and another three in Uganda saying with an addition of seven more, the country would have now a total of 13 athletes under the national athletic federation.
However, Deng said the federation was targeting at least 15 athletes for the national team, that would be trained to represent the country in all competitions.
“So, group B, which will be based in Juba, will be as supported as group A, meaning that if we find new best records in group B, the person will immediately join group A,” he stated.
Below are some of the athletes who took part in the competition.
In 100 metres women’s finals, Sarah Jemeni topped the group by finishing in 15.19 (minutes, seconds), followed by Suzy Sobrin (15.80) and Gilbriel Ali with 16.00) respectively and it was the only metres that women participated for.
While in 5000 metres men’s finals, John Abeich topped the group with a timecode of 16.04 followed by Solomon (18.15) and Isaac Dischi finished with 19.03.
In 400 metres men’s finals, Thiel Deng comes first with a record of 50.19 while Joseph Akoon comes second with a record of 52.37 and James Mapar completes the top three with 52.75.
In 1500 metres men’s finals, the group was topped by John Abeich (4.21.65), Ajang Garang (4.51.45) and while Isaac Dirch finishing (4.58.47). and 800m men’s only two managed to finish with John Majok with a record of 2.11 and Wilson Achuil with 2.17. The South Sudan Athletic Federation will organize similar national athletics trial competitions for group B in Western Bahr el Ghazal State this month.
