Success for Team Namibia
Despite funding woes, Team Namibia returned from the Cossasa athletics championships with 57 medals.
Long-serving Namibia Schools Sport Union (NSSU) national coordinator, Solly Duiker, says the just-ended Confederation of School Sport Associations of Southern Africa (Cossasa) athletics championships, which took place from 2 to 4 May, was a success for Team Namibia.
Namibia sent a team of 68 athletes to eSwatini, which returned with 57 medals.
Namibia won 26 gold medals, 15 silver and 16 bronze medals.
Duiker said if they had sent more athletes, they could have easily defended the overall crown they won in Botswana last year.
“Funding is a problem, hence the reason why we took only a few athletes compared to Botswana, who had a team of 200 athletes and Zimbabwe had 120 athletes,” Duiker said.
He added that Namibia has talent, but more funding is needed in order to groom and manage the youthful athletes successfully.
Looking ahead, Duiker said there is more they would like to do for the athletes, but Namibia is in limbo when it comes to financing athletics.
Johannes 'Whiteman' Martin, who was the chef de mission in eSwatini, also shared his sentiments, saying the team performed above par.
“We were leading the medals tally on the first and second day, but Botswana and Zimbabwe overtook us on the third day because they had about 40 athletes participating in one event, and we didn't have a lot of athletes,” he said.
Botswana scooped 28 gold, 33 silver and 35 bronze medals, for a tally of 96, while Zimbabwe scooped 27 gold, 29 silver and 27 bronze medals, for a tally of 83 medals, to claim the runners-up spot.
Last year Namibia amassed 67 medals, winning 26 gold, 21 silver and 20 bronze medals.
Zimbabwe finished second with 73 medals (24 gold, 32 silver and 17 bronze) and then hosts Botswana took third place with 79 medals (20 gold, 24 silver and 35 bronze). Zambia finished fourth with 17 medals (seven gold, two silver and eight bronze).
Team Namibia was selected from the national athletics championships that were held in March. Athletes from all 14 regions participated.
The 2020 edition of the Cossasa champs will take place in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
Namibia sent a team of 68 athletes to eSwatini, which returned with 57 medals.
Namibia won 26 gold medals, 15 silver and 16 bronze medals.
Duiker said if they had sent more athletes, they could have easily defended the overall crown they won in Botswana last year.
“Funding is a problem, hence the reason why we took only a few athletes compared to Botswana, who had a team of 200 athletes and Zimbabwe had 120 athletes,” Duiker said.
He added that Namibia has talent, but more funding is needed in order to groom and manage the youthful athletes successfully.
Looking ahead, Duiker said there is more they would like to do for the athletes, but Namibia is in limbo when it comes to financing athletics.
Johannes 'Whiteman' Martin, who was the chef de mission in eSwatini, also shared his sentiments, saying the team performed above par.
“We were leading the medals tally on the first and second day, but Botswana and Zimbabwe overtook us on the third day because they had about 40 athletes participating in one event, and we didn't have a lot of athletes,” he said.
Botswana scooped 28 gold, 33 silver and 35 bronze medals, for a tally of 96, while Zimbabwe scooped 27 gold, 29 silver and 27 bronze medals, for a tally of 83 medals, to claim the runners-up spot.
Last year Namibia amassed 67 medals, winning 26 gold, 21 silver and 20 bronze medals.
Zimbabwe finished second with 73 medals (24 gold, 32 silver and 17 bronze) and then hosts Botswana took third place with 79 medals (20 gold, 24 silver and 35 bronze). Zambia finished fourth with 17 medals (seven gold, two silver and eight bronze).
Team Namibia was selected from the national athletics championships that were held in March. Athletes from all 14 regions participated.
The 2020 edition of the Cossasa champs will take place in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
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