Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Marathon Sugar Quinton Steele Botes Athletics Coaching and Training Camp reaches a special milestone when it will be presented for the 30th consecutive year from 9 to 12 January 2023.
The former Namibian athletics coach and administrator Quinton Steele Botes initiated the clinic in 1993 which grew from strength to strength, attracting top coaches from Southern Africa and beyond, while also providing training to budding athletes who went on to excel at national, regional and international level.
Botes passed away in 2014 but the camp continued through the tireless efforts of organiser Leonie van Rensburg, who said that Botes would have been proud of reaching the milestone.
“Quinton always said the camp was the highlight of his year, and I think he would have been very proud of this achievement. Next year we will once again have some top coaches from Namibia and South Africa, and even The Netherlands, who will provide their knowledge and expertise to our budding young athletes,” she said.
Some of the South African coaches who will return include the high jump coach Hugo Badenhorst, the speed and hurdles coach Charlie Strohmenger, and Namibian-born long jump and triple jump coach Roger Haitengi, while the acclaimed long- and middle-distance coach JJ Smith will attend the camp for the first time.
Smith is an IAAF Level V coach who coaches several of South Africa’s top up-and-coming athletes like Andre Olivier, Mandla Nkosi, Zanelle Grobler and Niel van der Merwe, the latter who will also attend the training camp.
Besides that, top Dutch long distance coach Grete Koens will also participate at the camp along with several Dutch athletes who will be in Namibia at that time on a high-altitude training camp.
Koens was an elite athlete herself, but for the past 17 years has been The Netherlands’ national middle and long distance head coach, while she is also the founder of the strongest running team in The Netherlands – the Valley Running Team – a team of 12 Dutch athletes who have competed at international level from the 400m up to marathon events.
Van Rensburg said it would be a great opportunity for especially long distance athletes to gain knowledge from world class coaches and athletes.
“Grete and her athletes have been coming to Namibia for the past few years to do their pre-season high altitude training, so we invited them to come and participate at the camp. She has some top athletes who have excelled at international level, so they will come and share their knowledge and it will be a great opportunity for our local athletes and coaches to make use of their expertise,” she said.
Some of the Namibian coaches who will participate in the camp are Henk Botha, FC Pieters, Ryan Williams, Lucky Gawenab, Izane van Schalkwyk and Caren Swanepoel.
The camp will be held at Affies Park at Wanderers Sports Club from 9 to 12 January and will consist of three age groups – the kids athletics programme for 6-10 year-olds; the primary and intermediate programme; and the high school and seniors programme.
More information can be obtained from Van Rensburg at 0811271193 or [email protected]
The former Namibian athletics coach and administrator Quinton Steele Botes initiated the clinic in 1993 which grew from strength to strength, attracting top coaches from Southern Africa and beyond, while also providing training to budding athletes who went on to excel at national, regional and international level.
Botes passed away in 2014 but the camp continued through the tireless efforts of organiser Leonie van Rensburg, who said that Botes would have been proud of reaching the milestone.
“Quinton always said the camp was the highlight of his year, and I think he would have been very proud of this achievement. Next year we will once again have some top coaches from Namibia and South Africa, and even The Netherlands, who will provide their knowledge and expertise to our budding young athletes,” she said.
Some of the South African coaches who will return include the high jump coach Hugo Badenhorst, the speed and hurdles coach Charlie Strohmenger, and Namibian-born long jump and triple jump coach Roger Haitengi, while the acclaimed long- and middle-distance coach JJ Smith will attend the camp for the first time.
Smith is an IAAF Level V coach who coaches several of South Africa’s top up-and-coming athletes like Andre Olivier, Mandla Nkosi, Zanelle Grobler and Niel van der Merwe, the latter who will also attend the training camp.
Besides that, top Dutch long distance coach Grete Koens will also participate at the camp along with several Dutch athletes who will be in Namibia at that time on a high-altitude training camp.
Koens was an elite athlete herself, but for the past 17 years has been The Netherlands’ national middle and long distance head coach, while she is also the founder of the strongest running team in The Netherlands – the Valley Running Team – a team of 12 Dutch athletes who have competed at international level from the 400m up to marathon events.
Van Rensburg said it would be a great opportunity for especially long distance athletes to gain knowledge from world class coaches and athletes.
“Grete and her athletes have been coming to Namibia for the past few years to do their pre-season high altitude training, so we invited them to come and participate at the camp. She has some top athletes who have excelled at international level, so they will come and share their knowledge and it will be a great opportunity for our local athletes and coaches to make use of their expertise,” she said.
Some of the Namibian coaches who will participate in the camp are Henk Botha, FC Pieters, Ryan Williams, Lucky Gawenab, Izane van Schalkwyk and Caren Swanepoel.
The camp will be held at Affies Park at Wanderers Sports Club from 9 to 12 January and will consist of three age groups – the kids athletics programme for 6-10 year-olds; the primary and intermediate programme; and the high school and seniors programme.
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