Namibia scoops 28 medals

June Shimuoshili The African Youth Games (AYG) has come to an end after nine days of competition, which saw more than 3 000 of the best athletes on the continent compete against each other. Namibian athletes will return home with a whopping 28 medals. The athletes scooped seven gold, eight silver and 13 bronze medals at the games. The majority of medals were won by females, with six medals coming from gymnastics. The rest of the medals were won in archery, rugby, swimming, wrestling, athletics, cycling, karate and girls hockey. Rugby team coach Patrick Ludick praised his side for bagging a silver medal, saying it was not easy. He said his team stuck to its structure and everyone did their part. Ludick said further the key ingredients for team success are hard work and dedication. “It is not just about getting the team ready physically but mentally too. Making God the centerpiece of our success is very vital for the team. Whether we win or lose, we stick to our norms and values as a team, as rugby is not just a sport but a lifestyle too,” he said. Karate sensei Hendri Oberholster said the trip to Algeria has been an eye-opener in terms of sport and infrastructure. “The lack of Olympic standard sport facilities in the Namibia has an effect on the athletes and a change must be made.”He said the culture of every sport code sticking to themselves could have a negative impact and it is time unity was forged.“We have to come together. It is not just the government but the whole community which has a part to play. We are the new generation; we all need to do something. We now hire church halls to have our events, while we can own our halls were sports like judo, boxing and other sports can host their events. We are doing quite great at the moment, but the status can improve,” he said.In terms of performance, Namibia took ninth place at the youth games out of the 54 countries. Archer Quin Reddig and the girl's hockey team have qualified for the Youth Olympic Games, which will take place in October in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The aim of the AYG is to instill the Olympic spirit in African youth and promote African sports. The games are held every four years, with the first edition having been held in 2010. The Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) recently confirmed its approval Lesotho's hosting of the 2022 games in its capital city of Maseru under the slogan 'One Voice: One Africa: Sport Speaks'.

Namibia scoops 28 medals

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-23

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Namibia scoops 28 medals

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-23

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