By GWEN CHIPASULA –

THE Japanese Government yesterday handed over the $100, 823 phase two Yamato Fields at the Olympafrica in Lusaka.
This phase two Yamato Fields project includes a hockey pitch, basketball and volleyball courts that have come after the phase one project that had a running track, football pitch, netball and tennis courts.
Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Kiyoshi Koinuma said he had great admiration and respect for the National Olympic Committee (NOC)’s continued contribution to the promotion and development of sport in Zambia.
Koinuma said this was why the Japanese Government granted about US$100, 000 in phase one of the project in response to the NOC’s request to construct an athletic field, a soccer court, a tennis court and a netball court.
He said his government last year agreed to release cultural grant worth USD100, 829 as Phase Two of the project to the NOC to improve the sports facilities in Lusaka, specifically for the construction of a hockey court, a basketball court and a volleyball court.
“I firmly believe that sports have the power to create new dreams and smiles, the power to give hope, and the power to bring people together. It is my sincere wish that in 2020, many athletes can represent Zambia at the Tokyo Olympic Games,” he said
Sports Deputy Minister Ronald Chitotela commended Japan for its continued support to the development of sports in Zambia.
Chitotela said the facility will greatly help athletes prepare for various international competitions including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
He said the ministry is in the process of implementing a programme of establishing community safe spaces as a way of promoting sport development in communities for health and talent development.
NOC president Miriam Moyo said the centre has also opened a literacy class that have over 80 women as a catalyst for empowering women with reading and writing skills apart from the sports fields.
“The centre also has opened up a library to help school-going children cement their learning skills but we appeal to well wishers to help upgrade the library and provide variety learning materials,” she said.