The Department of State for Youth and Sports is planning to stage a national zonal athletics championship, for the first time in the country. A National Organising Committee (NOC) under the chairmanship of Hon Sheriff ML Gomez and working in collaboration with the Gambia Athletics Association (GAA), whose President doubles up as the Deputy Chairperson and Technical Advisor to the Chairperson of the NOC, will steer the process for this event. The newly constituted Interim National Sports Council (NSC) will also work closely as part of the NOC.
The championship will take place at the Independence Stadium in Bakau and the provisional dates agreed for the championship are December 4th, 5th and 6th 2009 where all regions namely; BCC, KMC, WR, LRR, NRR, CRR, URR together with Tertiary Institutions and Armed Forces will be represented and shall compete in all areas of track and field events geared towards achieving sports for excellence.
This will involve regional heats in which selection of the best and hence the process of delivering excellence will commence. The NOC has been challenged by its Chairperson to ensure regional and wide engagement throughout the country. This warrants inclusion of all sports bodies, institutions and agencies.
This championship is necessitated by the Department of State's new mission to ensure that our sportsmen and women go out and compete and win glorious awards for The Gambia and not just to participate. It is believed that with proper infrastructure, committed regional sporting committees, and with diverse sporting activities underpinned by all inclusive national competitions where regions are equally represented, this can be attainable
