Hesron Kapanga

Paralympic sprinter Ananias Shikongo and his guide Sem Shimanda qualified for the semifinals of the men’s T11 400 metres (m) after finishing second in heat one at the New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships.

Shikongo and seven other Namibian athletes are competing in the 2025 International Paralympic Committee’s World Para Athletics Championships underway in New Delhi, India.

Shikongo finished behind the French athlete with a seasonal best time of 54.26 seconds, while his opponent sprinted to the line in 52.52 seconds. He was the only athlete alongside French sprinter Gauthier Makunda and his guide Joachim Berland in heat one of the T11 400m sprint.

Another Namibian, who was scheduled to compete in the T11 400m, was defending world champion Chris Kinda and his guide Riwaldo Goagoseb, but they did not start in heat four of the championships.

With the winner of each heat automatically qualifying for the semifinals, the Namibian sprinter advanced through the best four fastest times recorded across the heats. 

Despite finishing second, Shikongo clocked the fourth-fastest time among the four heats.

The fastest time was recorded by Guillaume Junior Atangana and his guide Donard Ndim Nyamjua, representing the Refugee Paralympic Team, with a seasonal best of 52.14 seconds in heat two.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s Mohammed Ayade and his guide Ahmed Ayade, who finished second behind Atangana, recorded the third-fastest time of the heats with a seasonal best of 53.63 seconds.

Another Namibian sprinter, T37 athlete Petrus Karuli, missed out on a final opportunity in his event on Saturday after he finished last in his heat with a personal best of 12.12 seconds in the men’s T37 100m sprint.