Namibia’s cyclist Vera Looser and her team yesterday arrived in Paris, where she is set to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics, which is set to commence in less than two days.  

The games will officially commence on Friday, and conclude on 11 August at the Stade de France. 

A total of 10 714 athletes from around the world will participate in approximately 329 events across 32 sports.

Namibia will be represented by four athletes: swimmer Phillip Seidler, road cyclist Looser, mountain biker Alex Miller and marathon runner Helalia Johannes.

They will be accompanied by a support team, including chef de mission Lydia Kandetu, coaches Daniel Seidler (swimming), Theo Blignaut (road cycling), Hans du Toit (mountain biking) and Robert Kaxuxuena (marathon).

Additional support staff includes, Ermin van Wyk (cyclist mechanic), Nadja Seidle (long-distance swimming feeder) and Ruan Mocke (physiotherapist).

The Namibia National Olympic Committee’s secretary general, Joan Smit, who is already in Paris, confirmed the cycling team’s arrival, and provided updates on the other teams. 

The swimming team is scheduled to arrive on 30 July, while the marathon team will join them on 5 August.

“The cycling team arrived yesterday in Paris, so we anticipate other athletes to arrive as competition builds up. This was decided by the athletes and their coaches, and according to their competition days,” she said. 

Seidler expressed his excitement about the upcoming competition, saying: “I am feeling very excited and ready. Can’t wait to get to Paris and race. I’ve been training so hard for a long time now, and I believe this will be a great competition”.

This will be Namibia’s ninth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut in Barcelona in 1992. 

That year, a team of six athletes competed in three sports, marking the nation’s smallest Olympic delegation.

Remarkably, Namibia secured two medals at the 1992 Barcelona Games, both won by sprinter Frank Fredericks. 

He added two more silver medals at the Atlanta Olympics four years later. 

The country’s largest Olympic team was sent to the Sydney Games in 2000 with 11 athletes. 

This number was matched again at the Tokyo Olympics in 2022, where sprinter Christine Mboma claimed a silver medal in the 200 metres.

-mkambukwe@nepc.com.na