CAA makes plan of scholarships for African athletes
File: President, Confederation of African Athletics Hamad Kalkaba
CAA makes plan of scholarships for African athletes
President of the Confederation of African Athletics Hamad Kalkaba has revealed that African athletes will soon have access to international scholarships and expanded training opportunities through collaborations with various sports institutions around the world.
Speaking at a press conference on the closing day of the third African U-18/U-20 Athletics Championships in Abeokuta, Kalkaba noted that the CAA is working with key stakeholders to support talented athletes from across the continent, especially those from under-resourced countries.
“We have partnerships with several sports development organisations, including the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa,” he said.
“With their support, we are going to provide scholarships for athletes in different African countries and also send some of them to international centres for further training.”
He confirmed that the CAA currently has operational centres in Nigeria, Kenya and Senegal, countries with a strong history of athletics excellence, and is planning to expand its reach across more regions.
“In Nigeria, Dakar, and Nairobi, we have functioning centres where athletes are already being trained. But we are going beyond that,” Kalkaba added.
“CAA is also helping some athletes travel to China, Jamaica, and even Cuba for technical and high-performance development. We are not just staying in Africa, we are making use of global expertise.”
Kalkaba also addressed recent concerns about the CAA’s digital presence, especially issues relating to the official website and the timely dissemination of championship results.
He assured journalists that efforts are being made to resolve technical issues and that the body is focused on improving communication with media professionals across Africa.
“We had some problems with our website and the publication of results. But this is being fixed.
“CAA is going to work more closely with journalists so they can help promote our competitions and our athletes’ successes.”
In terms of future host cities, Kalkaba confirmed that Ghana and Botswana are being lined up for future Senior African championships in 2026 and 2028, respectively, while Algeria has been approved to stage the next edition of U-18/U-20 event in 2027.
He also noted that Ethiopia had expressed interest in hosting future events, stating that CAA welcomes all willing African nations to contribute to the development of athletics by offering to host competitions.
“Any country that wants to host must submit a bid. We encourage this spirit of participation,” Kalkaba said.
“It shows commitment to our sport, and our athletes benefit from this kind of engagement.”
