This year's AUSC Region 5 Under-20 Games, set to take place in Namibia from July 4 to 13, will for the first time include Para Games and Special Olympics athletes, with more than ten countries expected to participate in this historic and inclusive edition of the tournament.

NBC caught up with the President of the Malawi Paralympic Committee, James Chiutsi, who visited Namibia to watch the Swimming Championship at the Olympia Swimming Pool in Windhoek.

During last weekend's championship, James Chiutsi witnessed two Namibian Para-athletes, Kaila De Oliveira and Namasiku Van Der Linde, in action.

As Namibia prepares to host the Region 5 Games, representatives from ten countries have gathered in Windhoek this week to oversee logistics and assess the readiness of the facilities.

For the first time, the tournament will feature vision-impaired and Special Olympics athletes competing in track and field events-a major step toward inclusivity in regional sport.

Chiutsi, who is also the Chairperson of Region 5, emphasized the importance of the newly added sports codes and their role in creating equal opportunities for athletes with disabilities.

He also highlighted the need for proper athlete classification and explained why participation in such events is crucial for development and exposure.

This year's AUSC Region 5 Games will be hosted in two towns: Windhoek and Swakopmund.