WINDHOEK – Hosts Namibia find themselves in a commendable second place on the medal table behind South Africa in the CANA Zone IV Championships underway in Windhoek, after an action-packed Day 2 of Open Water Swimming at Oanob Dam.

The day started with the men’s 14-15 age group 5km event, where South Africa’s Dennis de Villiers, Connor Albertyn and Alex Wehmeyer won gold, silver and bronze in 01:04:28, 01:04:29 and 01:15:52, respectively. 
In the ladies’ division, the South African pair of Leigh McMorran and Catherine van Rensburg stroked to gold and silver in 01:04:23 and 01:05:20, with bronze going to Kenya’s Nurayn Bagha in 01:28:43.

Albertyn (00:40:38) and Van Rensburg (00:41:39) went one better in their respective 3km races to claim gold medals, while De Villiers (00:41:33) and McMorran (00:41:55) settled for the silver. 
Bronze in the men’s event went to the Seychelles’ Alain Vidot in 00:44:12 with Zimbabwe’s Ella Allardice in 00:47:13 returning the compliment in the ladies’ division.

South African trio of Flippie van der Spuy, Zac Ellis and Muhammad Adam topped the medal podium in the 16-18 age group 5km race in 01:02:53, 01:04:24 and 01:04:26, while in the ladies’ event, compatriots Stephanie Houtman (01:04:41) and Tasneem Ebrahim (01:11:12) won gold and silver tailed by Namibia’s Joanne Liebenberg, who claimed bronze in 01:13.20.

Van der Spuy (00:40:57) Ellis (00:41:34) and Houtman (00:40:40) and Ebrahim (00:44:55) were once again the gold and silver duo in the 3km events while bronze in the men’s race went to Namibia’s Matthew Gertze in 00:46:07 with Zimbabwe’s Gemma Schonken in 00:48:26 coming out tops in the ladies division. 

South Africa’s Refiloe Mashao ended with a gold in the 19 and over 5km race in 01:04:25 with Namibia’s Paddy Murphy a close second in 01:20:26, while Mashao also bagged gold in the 3km event in 00:40:42 ahead of Namibia’s Jureck Johannesson in 00:48:23.

The 12-13 3km gold medals went to SA’s Connor Jay in 00:46:17 on the boy’s side and countryman Tiara Finnis in 00:49:02 on the girl’s side.

In the Non-Championship races of the day, the Namibian trio of Jose Canjulo, Christopher De Jager and Keanet-Peter Ratheman completed the medal podium in the 14-15 age group 500m race, while the host nation’s Kyle Herbst, Mackenzie Spatm and Corley Viljoen scooped gold, silver and bronze in the ladies’ event.

In the 16-18 age group 500m race Namibia’s Rene Viljoen was victorious while the silver was claimed by Uganda’s Hayyan Kasitu, while the ladies’ gold went to Carussa Esslinger and the 19 and over men’s gold was won by Namibia’s Dentie Louw.

There was also a 1km non-Championship competition where the Seychelles’ Thierry Payet won the 12-13 men’s race, while the gold in the 14-15 ladies’ section went to the Seychelles’ Khema Elizabeth.

The 14-15 1km gold and silver went to the Seychelles’ Joshua Miller and Nathan Nagapin, with the bronze going to Angola’s Filipe Freitas, while in the 16-18 1km event, the Seychelles’ Tyler Fred claimed the top spot ahead of Namibia’s Arkell Wellmann and Elias Nakaleke. In the ladies’ race, Namibia’s Tiana Essliner won the gold.

Elago Naukushu and Gabor Salamon from Namibia won the gold and silver in the 19 and over 1km, while Angola’s Maria Lopes walked away with the ladies’ title.

The swimming programme resumes tomorrow with the morning session starting at 09h00 and the afternoon session at 15h00, while the Water Polo Championships will kick off at the Katutura/Western Suburbs Swimming Pool from 10h00.