Maqonda Ndlovu
Namibia’s Commonwealth Youth Team is finding the going tough at the current 2023 games in Trinidad and Tobago.
The games, which began on 4 August, have seen Namibia win two bronze medals in triathlon and discus. On Sunday, Maja Brinkman came third in the Women’s Individual Super Sprint Distance behind Aspen Anderson of Australia, who finished in 32 minutes, 53 seconds (32:23s) – and Jessica Heeps of Scotland, who clocked 33:17s. Brinkman finished in 34:02 seconds.
Speaking from Port of Spain, Brinkman said it was an unbelievable feeling to be a bronze medallist at the Commonwealth Youth Games.
“The race was very tough; the swimming and cycling were really hard. The running was so brutal at one point that I felt like I was dying. But I managed to finish really hard to win the bronze medal,” she said.
Her male counterparts, Nathan Chase and Fourie Steyn, finished 10th and 11th, respectively, out of 25 competitors.
On Monday, Para Athlete Martha Nengola was third in the ladies’ discus with a throw of 15.01 metres behind Nigeria’s Destiny Nkemakonam Agbo in first place and Bibi Jackson of England in second place.
Meanwhile, talented swimmer Jose Nicholass Canjulo was involved in two finals.
He came fifth in the men’s 50-metre breaststroke and seventh in the men’s 50-metre backstroke. In athletics, Magano Naseb failed to make it to the 100-metre final today after he came 6th in the semi-finals.
Namibia is currently number 13 on the medal log with two bronze medals, while Australia leads at the top with eight gold medals, seven silver medals and nine bronze medals (24 in total).
The games are scheduled to end on 11 August 2023. Namibia sent 13 athletes and seven officials.