Earlier today the National Para-athletics team was given an official sent-off to participate in this year's South Africa Sports Association for Physically Disabled championship. Our reporter Erickson Tapiso has all the details.

A total of 34 para-athletes left the country today to participate in the South Africa Sport for Physically Disabled Championship in Cape Town.

This important competition will see the national Para-athletics team compete against the best in South Africa and other African countries for rankings.

With a hectic sporting calendar awaiting para-athletes, the secretary general of the Namibia Paralympics Committee, Michael Hamukwaya, has appealed for an early release of the required funds for athletes to start with timely preparations.

The local sporting calendar for Namibian para-athletes is set to kick off this weekend at the coast, with a track and field competition. Meanwhile, the first international event is scheduled for March in South Africa, where the South African Sports Association for the Physically Disabled competition will take place.

The development manager of membership programmes within the International Paralympics Committee, Gabriel Ojeda concluded his three-day visit to the Namibian Paralympics Committee.