Teulings Champions receive rewards
OYDC Zambia – Sports Development Centre on Saturday 2nd November, 2019 successfully hosted the 9th edition of the Teulings Youth Sports Challenge Grand Finale which saw over 62 athletes being rewarded with trophies and medals. The OYDC Zambia, also took the chance to reward media houses and personnel who have been consistent in publishing different articles on the OYDC Zambia and the Teulings Youth Sports Challenge.
Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development Hon. Emmanuel Mulenga, in a speech read on his behalf by Nelson Nyangu, Director Planning and Information at the ministry, noted with gratitude that Coen Teulings, Chairman, of the Merifin Capital in Belgium has continued to support the OYDC Zambia with funds to run league games under the Teulings Youth Sports Challenge stating that most of the athletes who have been part of the games are getting selected to national teams and subsequently participating in competitive games both local and international.
And Teulings representative Hans Bertels, expressed happiness to see a number of athletes competing in beach volleyball, netball, hockey, swimming and taekwondo the five sports part of the Teulings Youth Sports Challenge. He congratulated all the deserving athletes, teams, coaches, media and umpires who received medals and trophies for their outstanding performances for the year 2019.
Meanwhile, OYDC Zambia – Sports Development Centre Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Fredrick Chitangala, announced that 70% of activities that have so far being hosted at the OYDC Zambia for the year 2019 are sport related and in 2020 the centre will increase the number to 80%.
Dr. Chitangala, added that support from Coen Teulings, is yielding positive results in that many of the young boys and girls who participate in league games are now becoming sports heroes after taking part in international games and bringing back medals and trophies home.
“I am glad to announce a new project at OYDC. This is Play 2 Conserve funded by WWF. The good news only came two days ago. This is just one month after receiving an award from the USA Embassy to use sport in HIV prevention. These are signs that stakeholders confidence in OYDC is growing.
We expect 2020 to be way better, as good things are surely coming. One of them is the possibility of running the Teulings Youth Sports Challenge for 10 months instead of the current 8 especially for disciplines like swimming which are affected by seasons” he said.
Speaking earlier National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) president Alfred Foloko, appealed to more people to emulate what Coen Teulings is doing at the OYDC Zambia, so that they can also consider funding different youth league games. He added that NOCZ, has seen a number of athletes who started their sports careers in the Teulings Youth Sports Challenge and are now becoming coaches, umpires and medal winners.
During the grand finale the name “OYDC Zambia – Sports Development Centre” and new logo were unveiled which marked a new chapter in OYDC’s quest to continue being the largest single institution for sport development in Zambia.
And Media Institute of Southern Africa Zambia (MISA Zambia), Chairperson, Helen Mwale, congratulated OYDC Zambia for the inaugural media awards stating that this will inspire more reporters to be writing and publishing activities that the sports facility usually organize such as the Teulings Youth Sports Challenge.
The grand finale was attended by International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sport for Hope Manager, Barbara Schweizer, OYDC Zambia Board of Trustees Chairperson Simangolwa Shakalima, OYDC Zambia Deputy CEO Sombwa Musunsa, Dutch NOC Senior expert and Head of International Programmes, Ingrid van Gelder, DEC officials, representatives of different sports associations among others.
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