As we welcome the New Year, we want to take a moment to acknowledge everyone in the athletics fraternity. Your unique individual contributions, skills and dedication comes in handy in ensuring that Central Gauteng Athletics as a province thrives.
Reflecting on 2023, a year marked by transformative strides, we are profoundly grateful for your invaluable contributions. We step into 2024 at the backfoot of a great 2023 with many success stories by our athletes and the aim is to keep the same momentum.
2024 is a very busy year for athletes, especially those that will be competing in various athletic Competitions. Among some of the events that will be held this year, are the Olympic Games (Paris 2024), the World Athletics U20 Championships (LIMA) and “of course” we eagerly anticipate that CGA athletes would represent us in some of these prestigious events, and they will need our continued supporting our athletes.
Preparation of these competitive events includes the province supporting its athletes and members attending track and field or cross-country events to cheer the athletes on.
Some 2years ago we were faced with a medical pandemic, and we survived some of us, but now we are facing an economic pandemic, and we must strive to survive this too. For your sanity, come out to our events to support our athletes, fill up the venues. Alternatively, put on your running shoes and start running, support your local races.
With the pandemic, we saw a vacuum in the race calendar, however since 2023 there is some a little congestion in the calendar. There has been an emergence of new races. Some of the most popular races are back. We also notice the growth in membership, which is great news because with new races, it “simply” means more participants and unfortunately this means parking space headache for the race organisers.
Let us continue to encourage more runners to join clubs and let us invite them to also to participate in races. The more people we invite people into the space of athletics, and grow their interest, the easier it will be for us to sell our brand to them and be grow our sport.
One of our main objectives is to continuously stimulate our development programmes however in 2024 we want to do better than just stimulation, we want to reap results and have a good story to tell, and this can only be done with your collaboration and bringing new partners on board.
We are thankful to our partners and Sponsors, (Southern Sun, Ricoh, Spar South Rand, Coca Cola Beverages SA, Gauteng Sports and Recreation, City of Ekurhuleni, City of Joburg, West Rand Municipality and National Lotteries Commission) for their unwavering belief and support in our various athletics programmes.
As we embark into 2024, we solicit the continued support of the board, the office, the commissions, committees, CGA clubs, Athletes, Coaches, Officials and Parents in ensuring that this year we remain the top achiever.
Let us therefore all carry forward the momentum, with renewed enthusiasm and ambition. 2024 holds exciting challenges and opportunities, and I am very confident that together, we will continue to achieve greater results.
Lastly, all the best to all the athletes and coaches that will travel to the different competitions representing South Africa.
Warm Regards,
Karabo Mabilo
Acting President
