Namibian athletes who excelled at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, 2023 Special Olympics Summer Games, and the World Para Athletics Championships were rewarded for their hard work on Wednesday.
The Namibia Sport Commission, under the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service, has provided more than N.dollars 1 million to reward athletes who have performed exceptionally well in international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games, Special Olympics Summer Games, World Para Athletics Championships and the African Beach Games.
During the media conference in the capital, Namibia Sport Commission Chief Administrator, Freddy Mwiya stated that the implementation of the reward policy is to motivate athletes to work harder towards achieving their goals.
“The waiting period was a challenge, but today we celebrate the ministry’s achievement in providing a significant reward for the athletes,” he said.
Mwiya stated that athletes must perform well and reach the podium to be rewarded for their efforts.
“We look forward to the 2024 African Games as the purpose of the game is solidarity for those sport codes that are limited in numbers. The NSC will do all it can to ensure the reward policy is respected as approved by Cabinet in 2018,” Mwiya said.
The NSC chief administrator also said that Namibia is thus far the third country in the Southern African Development Community, African Union Sport Council Region 5 that has an approved reward policy alongside South Africa and Botswana.
Athletes and coaches rewarded for their achievements at the 2022 Commonwealth Games are para-athlete Ananias Shikongo and his guide Even Tjiuiju; Olympic silver medallist Christine Mboma; marathon runner Helalia Johannes, and cyclist Alex Miller.
Their coaches Letu Hamholo, Henk Botha, Robert Kaxuxwena and Hans du Toit respectively, were also rewarded. Athletes who won bronze at those games received N.dollars 40 000, while their coaches got N.dollars 20 000 each.
For winning at the World Para Athletics Championships, athletes received N.dollars 80 000 each for a silver medal, while their coach Hamholo walked away with N.dollars 30 000 per silver medal.
The silver medals at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships were won by Shikongo and guide Tjiuiju, Lahja Ishitile and guide Sem Shimanda, and Johannes Nambala.
At the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games, Namibian athletes won gold in cycling, silver in athletics and bronze in 3×3 basketball.
Fimanekeni Hamutenya won two silver medals in 800 metres and 1500m, which amounts to N.dollars 30 000 per medal, while the coach walked away with N.dollars 15 000.
Namibian cyclist Rodney Stewe won a gold medal and was rewarded with N.dolllars 40 000 and his coach Werner Jeffrey got N.dollars 20 000, while the 3×3 basketball team was rewarded with N.dollars 80 000 and their coach received N.dollars 60 000.
The 2023 African Beach Volleyball team received N.dollars 100 000 for their achievements.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency