Kids' Athletics in Pikine (© IAAF.org)
After a most successful IAAF Kids’ Athletics event which took place on Wednesday 7 December 2006 in the Senegalese town of Rufisque, launching the activities of the first Africa International Sport Convention (CISA) which will take place in the Senegalese capital from 1 to 3 February 2007, hundreds of more children in Pikine, a suburb of the capital Dakar, were welcomed at a similar initiative on two days, Wednesday 10 and Friday 12 January.
IAAF ‘Kids’ Athletics’ which effectively promotes the implementation and development of athletics at school level has been included as a central plank in the promotion of the Africa International Sport Convention (CISA), which is being organized by the company JAPPO S.A,
Within the framework of this convention, the organizers, with the support of IAAF, have started an educational campaign through sport.
This campaign for children from 6 to 14-years-old consists of a tour around various primary schools within Senegal, and the activities in Pikine (10 km from Dakar) also saw the active participation of athletes from the IAAF High Performance Centre (CIAD) in Dakar.
On 12 January during the event, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of Judge Keba Mbaye, former IOC Vice President, who had passed away the night before.
Over the course of the two days, young school children from Pikine were initiated in the various techniques of sprinting, hurdling, shot putting, javelin throwing, long jumping, pole vaulting etc. According to Cheikh Thiaré, the chef de cabinet to IAAF President Lamine Diack, who represented athletics’ world governing body at the event, two objectives were targeted, first, allowing young Senegalese to have a better knowledge of Athletics, and secondly, then as an “interesting pedagogical tool within the framework of an education and competition programme.”
The CISA Kids’ Athletics programme will end with the Children’s Sport Day which will be organized on 4 February, a schools competition, and finally the African International Sports Convention. According to the promoter Diamil Faye, CEO of JAPPO S.A, the campaign is here to “fill a gap and contribute to the education of the youth through sport.”
For information on CISA: www.cisa-aisc.com
