Haitengi's participation uncertain

Amid growing concern about the spread of the coronavirus outbreak in China, international sports events are being moved, postponed and even cancelled. This has particularly put a damper on the plans of triple jumper Roger Haitengi, who was set to compete at the World Indoor Athletics Championships slated for 13 to 15 March.It is not certain whether the championships will be moved to a different town or country. Athletes are specifically looking forward to the competition as it also serves as qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Games.Olympic qualifying events scheduled in China for February like the women's soccer and women's basketball games were moved to Australia and Serbia. The soccer games had already previously been moved from Wuhan, which is at the centre of the outbreak, to Nanjing. Boxing tournaments for the Asia and Oceania regions will be held in Jordan in March.“We are waiting for World Athletics to inform us on the way forward regarding the competition,” said Erwin Naimwaka, the president of Athletics Namibia. He further said South African-based Haitengi is the only athlete from Namibia set to compete at the competition.The athlete won his first major medal, a bronze, at the 2014 African Championships. He is also a 2018 Commonwealth Games finalist.His personal best in the triple jump is 16.74 metres, set in Windhoek in 2010. This is the current national record.International media reports that World Athletics will make a decision in the next 10 days about whether the event can go ahead. On Monday, Great Britain's women's Olympic basketball qualifying tournament was moved from Foshan in China to Serbia because of the coronavirus outbreak. The biggest upcoming event in China, the Formula One Grand Prix scheduled for Shanghai on 19 April, which draws large crowds for the race, practice and qualifying, is under threat of postponement.Regarding uncertainty about qualification, the Tokyo Olympic organisers put out a generic statement yesterday and offered no details.“Countermeasures against infectious diseases constitute an important part of our plans to host safe and secure games,” the statement said. It said Tokyo would carefully monitor any incidence of infectious diseases and “we will review any countermeasures that may be necessary with all relevant organisations”.Meanwhile, a World Athletics spokesperson confirmed the organisation was monitoring the situation carefully and is in close contact with the World Health Organisation. “Should any of their advice affect plans for the World Indoor Championships Nanjing 2020, we will notify all our stakeholders promptly,” they added.The coronavirus has infected more than 4 500 people worldwide and caused 106 deaths. Although it originated in Wuhan, the Shanghai Health Commission has acknowledged that 13 new cases were identified on Monday in Shanghai, taking the total to 66. One case in a the city has already ended fatally and two other people remain in a critical condition.It is understood that the novel virus causes pneumonia, with symptoms such as fever, a cough and difficulty breathing.In severe cases, the virus can lead to hospitalisation or death.LIMBA MUPETAMI

Haitengi's participation uncertain

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-14

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Haitengi's participation uncertain

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-14

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