While the competition kicks-off next week, the region wants to keep the lead after emerging first six times and second four times in the last 10 years.

This year’s FENASSCO League B or National Primary School Games begin next week in Ebolowa in the South Region. As different regions prepare for the competition, children from the Far North Region are determined to continue to maintain their dominance. Today, all the wall shelves of the office of Aminou Sanda, the Far North Regional Delegate for Basic Education, are filled with 40 trophies garnered over the last 10 years during FENASSCO League B games.

As proof of their talent, some of the young champions were on two occasions invited to international athletics meetings in France, but could not participate because of visa problems. Talking to Cameroon Tribune in Maroua recently, Zemgmo Jean Marc, Service Head for School Mapping, Sports and Extracurricular Activities at the Far North Regional Delegation for Basic Education, said the region dominated National Primary School Games from 2006 to 2010. It came first on six occasions and second place four times.

“The performance was the result of the tough preparation of our athletes well in advance of competitions. This enabled them to enter competitions ready to conquer,” explained Zemgmo Jean Marc. As to what has become of these young athletes after elementary school, Zemgmo said they have continued doing well in secondary and high school or FENASCO A games. However, the problem is that of follow-up from there. “It is our dream to see the children athletes we brought up do well at the international level. We did our work. It is for others to follow up from there by assisting these young athletes to become international champions,” he pointed out.

Cameroon boasts talented junior athletes, notes Zemgmo Jean Marc, “but each region has its manner of preparing for competitions. This is what makes our difference,” he added. In spite of all these talents, the impact of Cameroonian athletes is still not felt internationally, except in volleyball, handball, football, etc. “This is curiously true. Junior national school champions should be given optimum conditions by keeping them together to continue with sports and their education. This might however require a political decision to save these young athletes from dying out,” concluded Zemgmo Jean Marc. Ironically, national junior athletics coaches always attend FENASCO B games where they can detect young athletes and then follow them up.