The Namibian national swim team delivered an impressive performance at the 17th African Swimming Championships in Oran, Algeria, from 5 to 10 May 2026, with the junior swimmers finishing fifth overall among 41 participating countries.
Namibia’s squad consisted of Luke Beukes, Nathan Bock, Jose Canjulo, Lorenzo Esterhuizen, Victoria De Sousa, Lilia Ellis, Roselinda Matyayi, Trisha Mutumbula, Ainoa Naukosho, Ronan Wantenaar and Molina Smalley.
The team received a total of seven medals, comprising two silver and five bronze medals, while several swimmers also achieved personal best times throughout the competition.
Luke Beukes was one of Namibia’s standout performers, claiming a silver medal in the 50m freestyle and a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle.
Roselinda Matyayi also enjoyed a successful campaign, securing bronze medals in both the 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke events.
Victoria De Sousa added to Namibia’s medal tally by winning silver in the 200m individual medley and bronze in the 400m individual medley.
The junior women’s team also earned a bronze medal in the medley relay event.
Head coach Jane Samson praised the team for their determination and resilience during the championships, noting that most swimmers achieved personal bests.
“The swimmers performed to the best of their abilities, and many of them achieved personal best times. This was made possible by the high-class standard of the aquatic complex pool,” Samson said.
She, however, revealed that the team faced challenges towards the end of the competition after most of the athletes fell ill.
“Unfortunately, about 90% of the athletes came down with a stomach bug towards the end of the competition, which resulted in two athletes having to scratch their final events,” she explained.
Despite the illness, Samson commended Beukes for persevering and still managing to secure a silver medal in the 50m freestyle.
In another major development for Namibian swimming, the country was handed the Africa Aquatics flag at the conclusion of the championships. This officially confirms Namibia as the host nation for the 18th Africa Aquatics Swimming Championships, to be held in December 2027.