The curtain came down on the 2024 AUSC Region 5 Youth Games held in Windhoek, Namibia, with Southern Africa’s top young athletes and gamers delivering outstanding performances across various disciplines. 

Botswana tops karate podium 

Botswana emerged the overall winner in karate, showcasing precision and skill. The team finished top of the karate medal table with a haul of three gold, one silver, and six bronze medals. Their consistent performances saw them finish ahead of South Africa, which collected a total of nine medals, and Angola, which placed third with four medals. 

Zimbabwe makes history in e-sports 

In the e-sport competitions, Zimbabwe made a historic debut by claiming the gold medal in the gaming category. Their gamers rose to the occasion, excelling in titles such as eFootball and Street Fighter 6, which earned them the honours. This victory marks Zimbabwe’s first-ever e-sport gold medal at the Region 5 Games, putting the country on the regional map in this rapidly growing sporting discipline. 

South Africa reigns supreme in the pool 

Swimming was dominated by South Africa which hauled 49 medals in total — 21 gold, 21 silver, and seven bronze — securing the top spot on the swimming medal table. Hosts Namibia also made a splash, finishing second with 30 medals that included 10 gold, nine silver, and 11 bronze. Zimbabwe came third with 13 medals (three gold, three silver, and seven bronze), while Botswana followed in fourth place with seven medals. Zambia claimed fifth spot with four medals, while Mozambique and Eswatini also earned places on the podium with four and one bronze medals, respectively. 

President of the Namibia Swimming Federation, Riaan Steyn, praised the Namibian swimmers for their exceptional performance, saying they exceeded expectations in both results and competitiveness. He attributed their success to a 10-day pre-competition training camp that included physiotherapy and other support services, ensuring the athletes were physically and mentally prepared. 

“We were pleasantly surprised by how competitive our swimmers were, especially against some of the region’s top talents. Credit must also go to the organisers who ensured the swimming facilities were up to international standards,” Steyn said. 

South Africa dominates netball 

South Africa continued its dominance in team sports by winning gold in the U-20 netball category. They clinched the championship after defeating Malawi in the final. Zimbabwe secured the bronze medal following a hard-fought win over Namibia. 

Track and field belong to South Africa 

In athletics, including events for Special Olympics athletes, South Africa once again led the charge, topping the track and field medal table. They produced stellar performances across sprints, distance races, relays, jumps, and throws. 

Namibia delivered a commendable performance on home soil, winning 37 medals in athletics. The inclusion of Special Olympics events was hailed as a historic milestone for the games, giving more athletes an opportunity to compete on a regional platform. 

Final medal table overview 

At the conclusion of the multi-sport event, unconfirmed medal tally saw South Africa topping the overall medal standings with a commanding total of 140 medals: 63 gold, 45 silver, and 32 bronze. Zimbabwe claimed second place with 86 medals (21 gold, 27 silver, and 38 bronze). Namibia finished third with 92 medals (20 gold, 40 silver, and 32 bronze), while 

Botswana were fourth, taking home 60 medals (19 gold, 16 silver, and 25 bronze). Angola followed in fifth with 42 medals (17 gold, 11 silver and 14 bronze). -lmupetami@nepc.com.na