Shikongo, Nambala to lead Paralympic team
Namibia's hopes of winning medals at the Paralympic Games rest on the shoulders of Ananias Shikongo, Johannes Nambala, Lahja Ishitile and Mateus Angula.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
WINDHOEK
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has allocated four slots for Namibian athletes in athletics and swimming.
The slots will go to T11 Para-athlete Ananias Shikongo, who competes in the 100 metres and 400 metres events, and Johannes Nambala (T13), who runs the same distances. They will be accompanied by their guide runners, Even Tjiviju and Sam Shimanda.
Another T11 athlete, Lahja Ishitile, who runs the 200 metres and 400 metres and also competes in the long jump, gets the third slot and will be accompanied by guide Sydney Kamuaruuma. The remaining slot will go to para-swimmer Mateus 'Spiderman' Angula (S6). He will compete in the 50 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke and 100 m freestyle.
Seasoned star
The experienced Shikongo and Nambala are expected to lead the rest at the Games.
Shikongo, who made history at Rio 2016 by becoming the first Namibian man to win Olympic or Paralympic gold, said their preparations have been smooth and they are set for the multi-disability Games from 24 August to 5 September.
Nambala, on the other hand, was the first to win gold at the Para-Athletics World Championships in 2013. He was also a 100 m and 400 m silver medallist at the Rio Games.
Not too impressed
The secretary-general of the Namibia Paralympic Committee (NPC), Michael Hamukwaya, is not happy with the limited number of slots allocated to Namibian para-athletes.
“After four years of our qualification pathway, the country was only allocated these slots, which we have allocated to the Namibian athletes according to their world rankings and their performance in the last four years.
'It has been a very hard and tough qualification period for the team and NPC is not happy with the number of slots we were allocated from IPC this time around, compared to the seven slots we had for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
“This is a setback for the movement but also not an easy task in making sure that in the four-year cycle, athletes have enough financial support and that more athletes are given a chance to compete amongst the best during the qualification period in order to make sure Namibia gains more slots at the Paralympic Games.” Hamukwaya added that this is motivation for the athletes to put in a good performance in order for the country to gain more slots in the future.
“This will not depend on an individual performance, but a collective approach as a country to support our athletes at the right time,” he said.
He added that their hope is that two more athletes, namely T37 athlete Petrus Karuli (1500m) and F40 Silvia Shivolo (shot-put), can get slots before the end of the qualification period, which is 29 July.
Powering disability to greater heights
He further thanked NamPower for supporting the team during these hard times and said he hoped the partnership would continue to grow stronger.
“To the Namibian nation, these are your athletes who will be participating at the upcoming Paralympic Games. Please support them as we are sure that the team selected is capable of world-class performances,” Hamukwaya said.
WINDHOEK
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has allocated four slots for Namibian athletes in athletics and swimming.
The slots will go to T11 Para-athlete Ananias Shikongo, who competes in the 100 metres and 400 metres events, and Johannes Nambala (T13), who runs the same distances. They will be accompanied by their guide runners, Even Tjiviju and Sam Shimanda.
Another T11 athlete, Lahja Ishitile, who runs the 200 metres and 400 metres and also competes in the long jump, gets the third slot and will be accompanied by guide Sydney Kamuaruuma. The remaining slot will go to para-swimmer Mateus 'Spiderman' Angula (S6). He will compete in the 50 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke and 100 m freestyle.
Seasoned star
The experienced Shikongo and Nambala are expected to lead the rest at the Games.
Shikongo, who made history at Rio 2016 by becoming the first Namibian man to win Olympic or Paralympic gold, said their preparations have been smooth and they are set for the multi-disability Games from 24 August to 5 September.
Nambala, on the other hand, was the first to win gold at the Para-Athletics World Championships in 2013. He was also a 100 m and 400 m silver medallist at the Rio Games.
Not too impressed
The secretary-general of the Namibia Paralympic Committee (NPC), Michael Hamukwaya, is not happy with the limited number of slots allocated to Namibian para-athletes.
“After four years of our qualification pathway, the country was only allocated these slots, which we have allocated to the Namibian athletes according to their world rankings and their performance in the last four years.
'It has been a very hard and tough qualification period for the team and NPC is not happy with the number of slots we were allocated from IPC this time around, compared to the seven slots we had for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
“This is a setback for the movement but also not an easy task in making sure that in the four-year cycle, athletes have enough financial support and that more athletes are given a chance to compete amongst the best during the qualification period in order to make sure Namibia gains more slots at the Paralympic Games.” Hamukwaya added that this is motivation for the athletes to put in a good performance in order for the country to gain more slots in the future.
“This will not depend on an individual performance, but a collective approach as a country to support our athletes at the right time,” he said.
He added that their hope is that two more athletes, namely T37 athlete Petrus Karuli (1500m) and F40 Silvia Shivolo (shot-put), can get slots before the end of the qualification period, which is 29 July.
Powering disability to greater heights
He further thanked NamPower for supporting the team during these hard times and said he hoped the partnership would continue to grow stronger.
“To the Namibian nation, these are your athletes who will be participating at the upcoming Paralympic Games. Please support them as we are sure that the team selected is capable of world-class performances,” Hamukwaya said.
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