The Namibia Chess Federation (NCF) recently held its 2025 annual awards ceremony in Windhoek to honour the achievements and outstanding growth of its players and community.
The sport is enjoying one of its most successful periods, with a wave of achievements that reflect three decades of steady growth and rising player talent across the country.The sport has been positioned as one of the country’s most rapidly advancing codes.
One of the NCF’s landmark achievements came this year when chess was selected as one of only 13 sport codes to join Namibia’s prestigious Podium Performance Programme, standing out as the only Olympic-recognised sport included in the group. Ten athletes were nominated for high-performance support, a signal of the sport’s strengthened governance and the increasing confidence in Namibian chess on the continental stage.
Participation in organised chess continues to rise in the country. This year’s Bank Windhoek Chess League featured more than 39 teams across junior, first and premier divisions. Supreme 3D Grand Monsters dominated the Premier League, securing the top title. The Bank Windhoek Grand Prix series also continued to strengthen grassroots development, spotlighting players such as Lazarus Shatipamba, Klaudia Kamina, and Fritz Hangue, who were recognised for their impressive performances throughout the season.
NCF leadership noted that future award cycles will align more closely with the Namibia Annual Sports Awards (NASA) format, ensuring even greater recognition for players at national level. Bank Windhoek remains one of the strongest pillars of Namibian chess development. Its contributions stretch from junior competitions to equipment distribution and innovative education programmes. Between 2023 and 2025 alone, the bank invested N$1.5 million, the largest chess sponsorship in Namibia’s history, supporting tournaments, training programmes and community outreach. Audrey Mostert, Bank Windhoek’s manager for corporate social responsibility and sponsorships, described chess as “a universal language that transcends borders and generations,” highlighting the sport’s role in sharpening foresight, decision-making and strategic thinking.
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