THE Secretary-General of the Namibia Paralympic Committee, Michael Hamukwaya, has called for inclusivity for para-athletes in sports competitions, including the recently concluded Rössing Uranium Marathon.

In a recent interview with Nampa, Hamukwaya expressed a wish for an elite para-athlete category to be introduced to the marathon, enabling athletes with disability to showcase their skills and abilities.

“The Rössing Marathon is one of the largest races in the country, and para-athletes across the nation have only had the opportunity to participate for enjoyment than for any prize money. So, this year, we decided to take an extra step and entered two of our elite wheelchair para-athletes to compete in the 42.2-kilometre race for people, including the organisers, to see that Paralympics are not just about participation, but can also be competitive,” Hamukwaya noted.

According to the SG, although there were a few setbacks during the race such as tyre punctures, it was a learning experience, and the para-athletes successfully completed the race.

“Essentially, we entered to demonstrate our seriousness. These para-athletes have the capability to go the distance, with the appropriate equipment, if they were given the platform. We hope we have convinced the organisers of these events,” Hamukwaya added. 

Roodley Gowaseb, one of the para-athletes who participated in the Rössing Marathon, echoed Hamukwaya’s sentiments, stating that including them in these local competitions where they can compete for prizes would assist them in raising funds to cover travel expenses for international competitions.

“We truly want organisers of these events to consider including us because as it stands, we are really struggling to finance these trips. As much as we want to enhance our skills and improve our times, attending as many competitions as possible is challenging because we must seek funding everything ourselves. If we do not have an opportunity to win any prizes, then we cannot do that,” Gowaseb said, adding that he intends to prepare and hopefully qualify for the Sanlam marathon in South Africa, scheduled for October this year, and the Commonwealth Games next year. -Nampa