Namibian marathon runners Alina Armas and Daniel Paulus are off to the World Athletics Championships, which will be held in Tokyo from 13 to 21 September.

Armas said she is ready for the competition, having trained hard and competed consistently in local events. Their coach, Robert Kaxuxwena, echoed her confidence, stating that the athletes have been working hard and are fully prepared to represent the country. “They will be leaving the country around the 8th,” he added.

Both athletes have previously represented Namibia on major international stages and boast impressive records and personal bests in the marathon and other distance events.

Kaxuxwena described Armas as one of Namibia’s most experienced female marathon runners. She represented the country at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. “She has also competed in multiple World Championships and Commonwealth Games, consistently showcasing her endurance and determination,” he added.

Armas made her marathon debut at the Rossing Marathon in 2013, clocking a personal best of 2:35:53. She improved her time two years later at the Military World Games in South Korea, finishing fourth with a career-best 2:33:09, which remains her fastest recorded marathon.

Other highlights of her career include a seventh-place finish at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, 25th place at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, and 49th at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. 

In 2024, she competed in the Vivo Energy Windhoek Marathon, where she won the veteran women’s category with a time of 2:54:26, though this was outside her personal best.

Most recently, Armas won the women’s full marathon in the 42.2 kilometre (km) at the Rossing Marathon, claiming her tenth national marathon title with a time just over two hours and 45 minutes. 

In May, she finished second at the Durban International Marathon, clocking an impressive 2:32:34.

Coach Kaxuxwena highlighted Paulus’ rapid rise to become Namibia’s top male long-distance runner, holding multiple national records across both road and track events. 

“He burst onto the scene with a record-breaking performance in the half marathon, running 1:01:10 in June 2022, which became the national record,” he said.

He also competed in the Daegu International Marathon in South Korea in 2023, finishing in 8th place with a time of 2:08:37. This performance placed him firmly on the international radar and stands as one of the fastest marathons ever run by an athlete from Southern Africa.

In 2024, Paulus also competed in the national record in the 5000 metres on the track with a time of 13:09.62. That same year, he won the Vivo Energy Windhoek Marathon. 

Paulus also competed in the inaugural Cali Marathon, officially known as the Maratón de Cali, which took place on 4 May in Colombia. In that race, he finished in third place in the men’s marathon, clocking a time of 2:15:19.

He also claimed victory at June’s Navachab Gold Mine Half Marathon in Karibib, completing the 21.1 km course in 1:04:38 and earning sponsorship. 

Most recently, he placed second in the Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon (21 km) held in Gqeberha, South Africa, with a time of 1:01:51. -lmupetami@nepc.com.na