Category: Sports

The 2023 Special Olympics World Games, the world’s largest inclusive sporting event, was officially opened on Saturday night at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany.

This year’s edition will see over 6,500 Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners (those athletes without intellectual disabilities) from 176 delegations united in taking the Special Olympics oath promising, ‘Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.’

The Games will be held from 18 to 25 June 2023 at different sporting venues across Berlin and Namibia is represented in three sports codes, namely athletics, cycling and 3×3 basketball.

Officially opening the games, President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the Special Olympics World Games are set to change the world’s view on disability and will bring the people together.

“This is very much about sports, but of course not only, about sports, inclusion and participation. That’s why I’m quite sure that we, as a society, can learn a great deal beyond the sport that we’ll be seeing over the next week. Not only that people with disabilities have something to gain from inclusion, but that we as a society also become richer when we live in inclusion,” Steinmeier said.

Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver also expressed his happiness for seeing athletes gathered in one place after years of not being together.

“We’ve been away from each other for too long. You know what it’s like to be isolated and to be told don’t come out. You are the experts in turning every form of pain and trauma into triumph. Your smiles are shining as bright as the stars tonight. I couldn’t be prouder of all of you. To the world, I challenge you, if you are searching for a reason to believe, come to Berlin and see how we overcome,” Shriver said.

Namibia’s track and field athletes are expected to start competing on Sunday in the Level A 1500 metre (m) and Level A 200m.

Finamekeni Hamutenya will compete in the men’s Level A, H3 1500m quarterfinals while Louise Sagaria will compete in the women’s Level A, H1 200m quarterfinals.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Newly promoted North East First Division outfit Eeshoke Chula Chula head coach John Sikerete has said he is confident that his newly promoted outfit can challenge for top honours in the Debmarine Namibia Premiership.

On Sunday, the Ohangwena region-based football club Eeshoke Chula Chula was crowned champions of the 2022/23 season after winning 2-0 against Young Rangers at the Oscar Norich Stadium in Tsumeb.

The closest rival for the title and promotional battle to Premier Football, Black Hawks, managed to collect one point only from their fixture with Eastern Chiefs at the Bagani Sport Filed. Two points dropped by the Hawks saw Chula Chula being crowned champions.

Sikerete, who is not new to Premier League Football, on Sunday boasted that he had a good squad with experience.

“This is not the first time I am qualifying a team for the Premier League. I did it first with Mighty Gunners and then Rundu Chiefs. With Rundu Chiefs we were even relegated after just one season and managed to come back again. The experience gained through this journey will help us fight better in the Premier League next season,” Sikerete said.

He added that he is not sure if he is going to sign new players to beef up his squad as he is confident with the quality he has in his team.

“When I joined the club at the beginning of the season I brought in some experienced players whom I worked with before at Premier League level with Rundu Chiefs, as well as others that have already played at that level before. We will probably add a player or two but the current crop of players at my disposal already have experience at that level,” he said.

The coach stated that their prime focus for the upcoming season is to challenge for a top-five finish despite it being their maiden season in the country’s elite league.

“I am confident that with the experience and knowledge I have, combined with the determination and hard work of the players, we can go far in the league if we are just focused,” he said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Blue Waters Sports Club hosted an awards ceremony over the weekend to honour its athletes for their achievements during the 2022/23 football, netball and cricket season.

The awards ceremony, which brought former and current players as well as supporters together, was held in Walvis Bay on Saturday.

Speaking during the ceremony, club chairperson Robert Shimooshili said the Blue Waters awards ceremony offers the club an opportunity to reflect and re-adjust their objectives based on the realities on the ground.

“It’s worth mentioning that during the past few years, we have revived the glorious culture of our team and we have fought our way back as one of the best teams in the country. I can assure you that the best is yet to come,” he said, adding that they will have to wait another season to find out whether they will be crowned as the best team in the country.

Shimooshili further said that as a club, they are happy to have three footballers called up in the current national team as well as five cricket players who are also plying their trade at national level.

Naftal Banji Dausab was crowned as the most improved young player and Johannes Jonny Nambuli as the most disciplined player, while Pandeni Kandjambanga is player of the season), Steven Junior Damaseb won the golden boot/top goal scorer award, and Junior Megameno Petrus was crowned as the club’s football player of the season.

In the cricket category, the most improved player award went to Iwan van Staden, the best fielder went to Ado Ita, the top wicket-taker went to Herman Karsten, and the top run scorer went to Gerry Snyman.

Simon Shikongo walked away with the best all-rounder and player of the season award.

In the netball category, Jastmine Aweses was named the most disciplined player and Lucia Johns won the best midcourt award, while Ndeshihafela Nauyoma walked away with two awards on the night as best defender as well as player of the season.

The best shooter award went to Ashiya Otta.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Nigerian women’s senior cricket team on Saturday defeated their Rwandan counterparts by six wickets in their opening game of the 9th KwibukaT20 Women’s tournament.

The game at the Gahanga Cricket Stadium in Kigali saw the hosts winning the toss and opting to bat.

Gisele Ishimwe had the best batting performance for the hosts with 30 runs in 39 balls as the Nigerian bowlers did well to limit their opponents.

Nigeria’s Adeshola Adekunle and Oyesande Omonkhobhio were responsible for two and one wickets respectively as they helped to restrict Rwanda to 87/7 in 20 overs.

The second innings saw coach Leke Oyede’s ladies needing only 18.2 overs to score 88 for the loss of four.

Usual big hitter for the team, Salome Sunday, was responsible for half of the runs score with 47 in 57 balls faced.

The effort earned her the Player of the Match Award as Nigeria won by six wickets.

The West African side will take on Botswana in the morning and Kenya later in the afternoon on Sunday.

Uganda are the other team at the tournament which is expected to end on Friday.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Walvis Bay-based Namibia Rugby Premier League outfit Kudus maintained their position at the top of the log after collecting maximum points away from home with a 24-08 win against UNAM on Saturday.

The coastal-based outfit travelled to Windhoek as log leaders and maintained their status at the UNAM Stadium which has been known as the slaughterhouse in previous seasons.

UNAM put points first on the board in a match that was physical for both teams, as they showed character and determination to win the game.

Peace Shimwino scored the only try for the home team just five minutes into the game, but Aljarreau Zaahl missed their conversion.

The University of Namibia team dominated possession in the first half, but the Kudus defence showed discipline and character on the day and kept them at bay.

Kudus managed to score their first try of the match through their captain Joshua Jacobs but the conversion was missed. With the first half coming to an end Kudus player Paolo Andrew was sent to the sin bin. UNAM failed to capitalise on that advantage scoring only a penalty through Zaahl.

The first half ended 8-5 in UNAM’s favour.

In the second half, Kudus took control of the game as they outplayed UNAM who found the going tough.

Kudus missed a penalty just minutes into that half, but they later won a scrum which they opted to kick out. After winning the throw-in, Kudus had a maul which saw Chad Plato scoring their second try of the match, but Geraldo Beukes missed the conversion.

The score was 10-8 for Kudus.

UNAM won a penalty which Zaahl missed, and Kudus once again had brilliant play as Lloyd Jacobs manoeuvred himself through the UNAM players to score their third try, and Beukes made no mistake with the conversion.

The score was 17-8 for Kudus. Kudus once again took advantage of the UNAM team with their final try of the match through Jayden Bussel, which Beukes converted for a 24-8 final score for Kudus.

With that win, Kudus are top of the Premier League table with 29 points, while Wanderers beat their arch-rival Trustco United 33-30 to move in second with 25 points. United are now relegated to third with 24 points. Rehoboth is fourth on 17 points after losing to Grootfontein 23-17. Grootfontein moved up the log to sixth place with 10 points.

Western Suburbs are fifth on the log with 15 points, UNAM is seventh with nine points, and Reho Falcon are bottom of the log, level with nine points with UNAM.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Minister of Sport, Youth and National Service, Agnes Tjongarero has called on the Namibian team competing at the upcoming Special Olympics World Games to bring home silverware.

The 2023 Special Olympics World Games are scheduled for Berlin, Germany, from 17 to 25 June, with over 7 000 Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners from approximately 170 countries competing in 24 sports codes.

Team Namibia will compete in three sport codes: unified 3×3 basketball, athletics and cycling.

Speaking during the sending-off ceremony held here on Thursday, Tjongarero said she is confident that the athletes will make the nation proud by bringing home gold medals, just as the female unified football team did in the United States of America in 2022.

“We are proud of you, your achievements are commendable, and the same applies to the coaches. Thank you for taking out the time to nurture our athletes’ talents in flying Namibia’s flag high. We look forward to your participation in the World Summer Games in Berlin,” she said.

Tjongarero added that the Government of Namibia through the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service availed funds to the tune of N.dollars 1.03 million to ensure that the athletes will compete at such an international competition.

“The Special Olympics World Games are an outstanding example of inclusion in action, putting people with disabilities and their sporting skills firmly in the limelight. Today we are very excited to see people with and without disabilities participating in sport,” she said, adding that even though the country went through economic hardship due to COVID-19, the Namibian Government through the ministry has continuously ensured that inclusive sports remained their top priority.

Special Olympics Namibia National Director Emilia Nzuzi, while speaking at the same occasion, gave her assurance that the team travelling to Germany has prepared well and will make the nation proud by winning.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency