Athletics Africa Magazine

Buoyed by a successful football World Cup in South Africa, sprint legend Frankie Fredericks pledged today to do all he could to make an Olympics on the continent a reality, AFP reports. The Namibian four-time Olympic silver medallist, in Singapore to offer advice to youngsters competing at the inaugural Youth Olympics, told AFP he was determined to play his part. "I will take up the challenge of improving athletics in Africa and take up the international challenge to make changes," he said. Fredericks, chairman of the International Olympic Committee's Athletics Commission, told AFP his mission included securing the Games for an African nation. "It would be nice to share our culture, to share our vuvuzelas, to share our food, to share the way we do things with the world," he said. "I do think we should get a chance to host the largest event in the world." The race to stage the 2020 Olympic Games opens next year, with South Africa set to throw its hat in...

Confederation of African Athletics has given the Africa Athletics Championships Local Organising Committee a nod of approval for its efforts. However, the head of delegation Frank Fredricks said David Okeyo's committee must work overtime in order to complete the preparations before the deadline.