Runners step up in Khomas event

The Khomas Regional Athletics Championships took place at the Independence Stadium last weekend. The event delivered some interesting results even though some of the better-known athletes opted to skip the meet. All in all 27 events took place in the men’s and women’s competition with Windhoek Hochland Sport winning the majority of gold medals. The team claimed 12 gold medals as both sexes enjoyed dominance in their events. Kristien Kruger was the biggest medal contributor as she took the gold in the 200m dash, the high jump and the long jump. In the men’s category, Christof Steenkamp (110m hurdles, triple jump) and Pieter Swanepoel both contributed (shot put, discus throw) two medals each for the team to continue setting the pace. Golden Cheetah were the next best performers with seven gold medals. Their medals were spread out with Brave Gladiators footballer Lena Noreses (100m dash), Selma Shilongo (shot put), Bernadina Buys (javelin throw), Adiel van Wyk (200m dash), Ismael Tjiramba (400m dash), Uveni-Nawa Kuugongelwa (800m) and Salomon Tuaire (high jump) all claiming gold. The Namibian Defence Force (NDF) representatives managed four gold medals while Windhoek Gymnasium claimed two victories with NamPol and Welwitschia 77 coming home with one medal each. The athletics season is expected to go up a notch with the next races of the Bank Windhoek Grand Prix series and the National Championship to be hosted in the coming months. Women 100 Metre Dash: Lena Noreses (Golden Cheetah) 200 Metre Dash: Kristien Kruger (Windhoek Hochland Sport) 400 Metre Dash: Silba Tjingaete (NDF) 800 Metre Run: Helena Iipinge (NDF) 1500 Metre Run: Helena Iipinge (NDF) 100 Metre Hurdles: Sylvia Schulz (Windhoek Hochland Sport) 400 Metre Hurdles: Henryke Garbers (Windhoek Gymnasium) High Jump: Kristien Kruger (Windhoek Hochland Sport) Long Jump: Kristien Kruger (Windhoek Hochland Sport) Triple Jump: Katja Victor (Windhoek Hochland Sport) Shot Put: Selma Shilongo (Golden Cheetah) Discus Throw: Sune Engelbrecht (Windhoek Hochland Sport) Javelin Throw: Bernadina Buys (Golden Cheetah) Men 100 Metre Dash: Fred-Charles Pieterse (Welwitschia 77) 200 Metre Dash: Adiel Van Wyk (Golden Cheetah) 400 Metre Dash: Ismael Tjiramba (Golden Cheetah) 800 Metre Run: Oskar Komeya (NDF) 1500 Metre Run: Reinhold Tomas (NamPol) 5000 Metre Run: Uveni-Nawa Kuugongelwa (Golden Cheetah) 110 Metre Hurdles: Christof Steenkamp (Windhoek Hochland Sport) 400 Metre Hurdles: Jacobus Blaaw (Windhoek Hochland Sport) High Jump: Salomon Tuaire (Golden Cheetah) Long Jump: Frederick Van Zyl (Windhoek Gymnasium) Triple Jump: Christof Steenkamp (Windhoek Hochland Sport) Shot Put: Pieter Swanepoel (Windhoek Hochland Sport) Discus Throw: Pieter Swanepoel (Windhoek Hochland Sport) Men Javelin Throw: Eugene Niemand (Windhoek Hochland Sport) WINDHOEK-SPORT REPORTER