Hilma Nalupe
Two of Namibia’s top artistic gymnasts Anne-Leen Thorburn and Immanuel Kooper are flying the national flag high in Jakarta, Indonesia, where they are representing the country at the 53rd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships from 19 to 25 October.
The event brings together the world’s elite gymnasts for a week of competition, skill and artistry.
For Thorburn and Kooper, the championships mark another milestone in their growing international careers.
Both athletes recently competed at the World Challenge Cup in Paris, France, in September, an experience that helped sharpen their routines ahead of the global stage.
At home, Kooper claimed first place in the Men’s Senior category at the Namibia Gymnastics Federation Nationals earlier this month.
Thorburn, who has shown remarkable progress in recent competitions, expressed excitement about stepping onto one of the biggest platforms in the sport.
“It’s such a great honour to be able to go out on the world stage and perform alongside such excellent gymnasts. I feel so grateful and blessed to be here. I just want to proudly represent Namibia while improving on my personal best,” Thorburn expressed.
The young gymnast hopes to build on her recent success, having improved her total score by 7.5 marks since last year.
She plans to focus on upgrading her routines ahead of next year’s African Championships and possibly the Commonwealth Games.
Kooper, equally determined, said he is grateful for the opportunity to compete among the world’s best.
“It is both an honour and a privilege to be competing. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity and excited to represent at this level,” he said.
Their coach, Morihei Anderson, praised both gymnasts for their dedication and hard work.
He said his main goal is for them to perform with confidence and enjoy the experience.
“They’ve worked incredibly hard and shown great commitment in their preparation. My focus is on them executing their routines with confidence, composure and pride in what they’ve achieved,” Anderson said.
The Namibian team’s participation in Jakarta underscores the steady growth of gymnastics in the country and sets an inspiring example for young athletes aspiring to reach the world stage.