Following their participation in the Tokyo World Para-Athletics Championships last month, two Namibian para-athletes and their guides have travelled to Europe to prepare for the upcoming Paris Paralympic Games.
The athletes, Johannes Nambala and Ananias Shikongo -and their guides, Sem Shimanda and Even Tjiuiju, are currently training in the Netherlands.
They will be joined by additional Paralympic athletes at the training camp before heading to Paris.
Michael Hamukwaya, the secretary general of the Namibia Paralympic Committee, stated that the final list of athletes competing in the Paralympic Games will be determined on 28 June.
Elisa Ostet, who manages the athletes, explained that the purpose of the camp is to prepare them for the Paralympic Games, allowing them time to adjust to the weather and focus on the challenges ahead.
The athletes competed on Sunday in the Onkpara-Athletiek Dutch Open National Championships in the Netherlands – an essential part of their training regimen.
“The training camp and competition schedules are crucial steps in ensuring that the athletes are in peak condition for the Paralympic Games.
The athletes’ dedication and hard work, supported by their guides and coaching staff, reflect their commitment to achieving excellence on the world stage. The competitions are also providing valuable experience and feedback, helping the athletes fine-tune their performances as they aim for success in Paris,” Ostet said.
On Sunday in the 400-metre race, Nambala secured first place with a time of 50.01 seconds, an improvement from his previous 51.03 seconds.
Shikongo finished fourth with a time of 52.88 seconds, improving from 54.17 seconds.
In the 100m race, Nambala achieved second place with a time of 11.19 seconds, an improvement from 11.29 seconds, while Shikongo took third place, recording a time of 11.39 seconds.
This is an improvement from 11.55 seconds. In a post-race interview, Shikongo expressed his satisfaction with the competition.
“The race was very nice. I like the way the competition is organised. I improved my time in both races. It shows that I am preparing myself well,” he said.
Para-athletics is the largest sport on the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games’ programme in terms of participating athletes and the number of medal events.
Up to 1 069 athletes will compete across 164 medal events in the French capital from 30 August to 8 September.