Year of great expectations

The 2016 Summer Olympic Games is arguably the biggest sporting event for the year. As such it will also be the central focus of what takes place in Namibia when it comes to sport. The year will also be momentous for football as the Brave Warriors continue their path of improving their ranking whilst giving experience to the largely youthful side. For rugby, the Welwitschias are set to take part in South Africa’s Currie Cup with hopes high that this will go a long way towards maintaining interest in the side as well as broadening the base of players that could play for the national team. Namibian Sun takes a look at what to expect for the year in terms of sport. Olympics The Rio 2016 Olympics will mark the seventh time Namibia will be heading to the global multi-code spectacle since gaining independence in 1990. So far, two athletes have already booked their place to compete in Brazil with Gaby Ahrens due to represent Namibia in the Trap Shooting competition while Beata Naigambo will compete in the Marathon. This will be Ahrens’ third successive participation at the Olympics having made her bow at the 2008 edition in Beijing, China. She has set her eyes on finishing among the medals during this year’s competition. For Naigambo, this too, will be her third appearance having previously finished among the top 30 runners in the 2008 edition and in the top 40 in 2012 in London. The duo is expected to be joined by Helalia Johannes, who has also represented Namibia at two previous Olympic Games. Namibia has also regularly had boxing representatives at the Olympic Games with Harry Simon doing duty in 1992 (Barcelona), Sackey Shivute in 1996 (Atlanta), Paulus Nuumbembe in 2000 (Sydney), Paulus Ambunda in 2004 (Athens), Julius Indongo in 2008 (Beijing) and Mejandjae Kasuto in 2012 (London) among others. That proud record, though, is under threat with the Namibia Boxing Federation (NBF) stating that the lack of proper funding might see the body failing to send boxers to qualifiers for the Olympics. Cycling and volleyball Namibian cycling at present is booming with the code blessed with young riders such as Martin Freyer, Michael Pretorius and Xavier Papo, to name but a few. They are complemented by the excellence of Costa Raul Seibeb, who won almost every single local race last year. But Namibia’s hopes of getting a cyclist to the Olympic Games will be pinned on Dan Craven, who is a professional cycler on the European circuit. Craven was at the 2012 event but found competing difficult as he did not have a team to support him whereas most cyclists at the showpiece event had the backing of numerous other riders. Meanwhile, the Namibia Volleyball Federation (NVF) is eagerly watching the progress of the ladies beach volleyball team. The team reached the semi-final stages of the qualifiers, which will be taking place in Congo, Brazzaville from Thursday, January 7. Should the team qualify for the Olympic Games it would be the first time Namibia has reached that milestone in beach volleyball. Paralympics, football and rugby Paralympic athletes have in recent years also grown in stature with Namibia once again expected to send a strong contingent to the event which will take place shortly after the Summer Olympics. Ananias Shikongo, Moses Tobias, Johanna Benson, Rosa Mandjoro, Ishitile Lahja, Reginald Benade, Elias Ndimulunde and Etchegarary Nguluwe have already secured their participation at the event. It can thus be expected that medals will again flow from that front. In football, the men’s national team has focused its attention on improving both its ranking and playing ability so that it can launch a bid to qualify for the 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament. Namibia is also preparing to host this year’s edition of the regional tournament, the Cosafa Cup. The Brave Warriors are the defending champions and it will be interesting to see if the team can claim back to back titles on home soil. In rugby, news that Namibia will be taking part in an enlarged Currie Cup competition was welcomed all around. After gaining respect during the Rugby World Cup last year, the Welwitschias are hoping to continue improving with the leadership already thinking of the next edition. Namibia Rugby Union’s (NRU) Wessel Kotze said “[Welwitschias coach] Phil Davies’ biggest advice to me was saying that ‘we trained to play but now it is time to train to win’.” What this all this boils down to is that Namibia will have a momentous year that will determine if the long term goals of the respective codes will be reached. HECTOR MAWONGA