Grootfontein: The Otjozondjupa Governor's Cup officially kicked off at the Omulunga Sports Stadium in Grootfontein Saturday morning. Otjozondjupa Governor John ||Khamuseb officially opened the two-day tournament for the Under-20 football and netball games.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the aim of the event is to select the best players for the region's Under-20 football and netball teams that will represent Otjozondjupa at the annual The Namibian Newspaper Cup at Keetmanshoop in the ||Kharas Region in April, ||Khamuseb said. 'The time has come and it is all up to the players today to show their talent at these games. We want to see you play in a united manner, injury free, and allow the best players to walk away as winners,' he said. The governor said the winners will receive trophies and medals.

On her part, the Grootfontein sports officer in the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Hertha Masule in an interview with Nampa said 250 boys and girls are participating in the tournament. The players are from the region's seven constituencies of Tsumkwe, Grootfontein, Otavi, Otjiwarongo, Okakarara, Okahandja, and Omatako.

Masule said all football games will be played at the Omulunga Sports Stadium, while the netball games will take place at the Grootfontein Senior Secondary School sports grounds. The Okakarara football team played the first match against Otavi, while in netball Omatako went up against Otavi.

Otjozondjupa head coach for the Under-20 football team, Augustinus Mukoya from the Namibia Correctional Services, and Ehrenfriede Uahongora of the Namibian Defence Force who coaches the regional netball team, as well as the local authority councillors of Otavi, Grootfontein, Okakarara, Okahandja, and Otjiwarongo were amongst the attendees Saturday morning.