OMARURU: Namibian Correctional Service athletes David Dam and Martha Shivolo were crowned champions of the Erongo Power Save Omaruru Street Mile on Saturday, after outclassing a star-studded field of athletes to win the race.

In the men’s category, Dam came first ahead of his colleague Rainhold Tomas and Namibian Defence Force athlete Wilhem Hangula.

Dam clocked a time of 4 minutes, 15 seconds and two tenths (04:15:2) while Tomas was just behind him with a time of 04:16:4. Hangula took the last podium place with a time of 04:16:8.

In the women’s category, Shivolo continued with her dominance of the Namibian long-distance running by outclassing Alina Armas and Beata Jeremia. She was crowned the new Omaruru Street Mile winner for the first time.

Shivolo clocked 04.55.6 while Armas clocked 04:58.04 and Jeremia took the last podium place with a time of 04:59:6.

The Omaruru Street Mile race sees runners compete over 1.6 kilometres, and a total of 1,402 athletes participated, including runners from the Orapa Athletics Club from Botswana.

Beata Naigambo won the women’s veteran category, and Mathew Kadhingula won the men’s category in the veteran category.

Siegunde Gontes won the masters’ women’s category by smashing the course record in that category in half. She clocked 06:52.7 for a course record of 12:09:34. Christopher Ndunga won the men’s category with a time of 04:37.6.

Frans Nyanjukweni from the Omusati region clocked 05:06:1 in the junior women category, breaking the course record that stood at 05:13.2. The National 1500-meter champion Sara Shikongo came second.

Maria Lita of Omusati also broke the primary girls’ record with a time of 05:34.5. The record stood at 05:37.5.

Roodley Gowaseb won the wheelchair category with a new course record of 03:17.1. His teammate Nico Kharuxab came second with a time of 04:13.4. Gabriel Nishililwa, who used a hand cycle, won this category but was given third prize. The course record in this category was 05:58.2.

Berthold Karumendu, the event organiser and Sports Officer at the Ministry of Sport, Youth, and National Service in the Erongo region, expressed his satisfaction with the 10th Omaruru Street Mile in an interview with Nampa. He also said that he looks forward to expanding the event further next year.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency