Staff Reporter
NAMIB Desert Diamonds (NAMDIA) officially handed over a sponsorship of N$400 000 to the Athletics Namibia sports federation to ensure the Namibian team’s participation at the 22nd African Championships that will take place in Cote D’Or in Mauritius from 8 to 12 June.
Namibia will be represented by 15 athletes at the African Championships.
Olympic medal winning star Christine Mboma and her counterpart Beatrice Masilingi will however not take part in the games.
“We are proud and honoured to be associated with our nation’s athletes. Their talent and commitment to excellence are inspirational and the fruits of the hard work, resulting in victories at top world events, speaks for itself,” NAMDIA’s chairperson to the board of directors, Bryan Eiseb, said.
According to the president of Athletics Namibia, Erwin Naimwaka, nine of these athletes qualified to compete based on the requirements set by the African Championships, while the rest were chosen to compete because they possess great potential.
“Here in Namibia we have hidden gems. We have youth that have amazing potential that needs to be unleashed and unless we support them, it’s not going to happen,” NAMDIA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kennedy Hamutenya, said.
The Namibian team include six women, namely Ndawana Haitembu (relay), Taune Silver (shotput), Mudi-Inosensia Haingura (400 m, relays), Ane Rautenbach (200 m, 400 m, relays), Nandi Vass (400 m, relays), and Sade De Sousa (100 m, relays).
The nine men on the team are Hainuca Gilbert (100 m, 200 m, relays), David Dam (800 m, relays), Iva Geldenhuys (400 m, 200 m, relays), Warren Goreseb (relays), Ernst Narib (100 m, 200 m, relays), Andre Retief (400 m, 400 H, relays), Roger Haitengi (triple jump), Ryan Williams (discus) and Mahmad Bock (400 m, relays).
According to the Minister of Sports, Youth and National Service, Agnes Tjongarero, NAMDIA through the NAMDIA foundation has proven itself to be a reliable and committed partner not only to athletics but to sports in general.
“I am happy to see that in the last few years when we are experiencing financial challenges, corporate Namibia has really stepped up to the table and supported our sports federations,” Tjongarero added.
Speaking to the Informanté’, Mboma and Masilingi’s coach Henk Botha confirmed that both athletes are out of the African Championships as they both have not recovered yet.
“Beatrice is almost 100% recovered but she didn’t have any preparation time and it would be unfair for her to compete on that stage, as it would cause her mental stress, as such the decision was made not to take part in the African Championships and rather just compete in the World Championships.
“As mentioned, Christine is still in recovery. Mentally they are doing well, they are feeling good. If Christine could run today she would do it but the medical call is to not run right now. Whenever she is ready we will get her on the track and she will be world class again,” Botha said.
