Joyce Smith

"There's a lot of excitement building up for the championship," said Joyce Smith, chief executive of KwaZulu-Natal Athletics, the host of the event.

Joyce Smith, chief executive of the KwaZulu-Natal Athletics, said her organisation has a number of top events lined up for 2005 and that the excitement starts next weekend with the Absa Series at King's Park on February 18.

"We've been awarded one of the Absa Series events and we are delighted to host the championship as it will bring into the city some of the country's top athletes," he said.

Smith said that she hoped for a huge local support for the Absa Series, and Hestrie Cloete, who performed outstandingly at the last Olympics is one of the major attractions .

"It's the only chance for the local athletics enthusiasts to see the world class performers on our doorstep.And there's no better opportunity than at the Absa Series," Smith said.

Joyce Smith, chief executive of KwaZulu-Natal Athletics, said: "We are delighted to announce that the Department of Sport and Recreation will assist us in bringing athletes from all over the province for the KZN Youth and Junior Championships.

"It's difficult and costly for the parents to bring their kids to the meeting and we are extremely grateful to the department for their assistance.

Their assistance came at the right time - we really did not know how to get the athletes to Durban."Smith said that most of the young athletes, who have tremendous potential to go on to make a career in the game, will get their first taste of running on a tartan track.

We want to see more of our athletes reach greater heights at national championships," Joyce Smith, chief executive of KwaZulu-Natal Athletics, said.

"Hence we have started a process and we hope that it will help the athletes in their careers.

"We want to see KwaZulu-Natal athletes win more medals at national level and we would also like to see more of our athletes being selected for the South African teams."

Smith said 30 athletes have been selected to attend the camp and will be using King's Park Athletics Stadium as their base for all their training.

Athletes were chosen via performances at the Inter-District and KwaNaloga Games plus League meetings, road races and provincial championships.

Joyce Smith, administrative manager of KwaZulu-Natal Athletics, confirmed yesterday that the Newlands 42.2km and 21.1km races at the weekend had attracted a record field.
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Smith appealed to those who missed out in qualifying at the weekend to watch out for future Comrades Marathon qualifying races around the provinces.