When dreams come true

Namibian swimmer with disabilities, Gideon Nasilowski has achieved his childhood dream of competing in the Paralympics as he has qualified for the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games slated for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in September.
Nasilowski, also known as the ‘The Amphibian Namibian’, has represented the country at several major international championships such as the Pan-Pacific Para-Swimming Championships in Pasadena, Los Angeles, and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Swimming Championships in Glasgow.
He was born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC), which results in multiple joint contractures, muscle weakness and fibrosis.
Speaking to Nampa on Thursday, Nasilowski said people laughed at his dream of wanting to swim at the Paralympic Games.
“I will be the one laughing hard now when I get to the pool to prepare for the Paralympic Games,” he told Nampa on Thursday.
Nasilowski said he will now start training hard to be in great shape when he travels for the games. His dream now is swimming a great time.
This will be the first time Namibia sends a swimmer to the Paralympic Games.
The Namibia Paralympic Committee (NPC) on Wednesday announced that it received a swimming slot through the bipartite qualification slots from the IPC for the 2016 Olympics.
“This slot is awarded to Mr Gideon Nasilowski in the S2 50metre freestyle due to his participation in major IPC international swimming championships for the past four years,” NPC Secretary-General Michael Hamukwaya said in an interview with Nampa.
In total, 16 Namibian athletes have thus far qualified for the Paralympic Games.
The other athletes do track and field events as well as power-lifting.
(NAMPA)