Athletes receive public appraisal

Last Saturday, 28 April 2012, Wernhil Park shopping center was abuzz with the public eagerly waiting to meet with the country’s  representatives of this year’s summer Olympics taking place in London. The Namibia National Olympics Committee organised the campaign, aimed at promoting the athletes and linking them with the public.
The athletes, including the Paralympics athletes got to meet and mingle with various official sponsors of the Namibian National Olympics as well as the general public. Coach of the Paralympics athletes, Fannes Namhunga said that besides introducing the athletes to the public, the Namibia Paralympics Committee was also looking for sponsorship for the athletes. Two Paralympic athletes, Martin Aloysious and Ananias Shikongo who will both compete in the 100m, 200m and 400m events, were part of the group of athletes who turned up at the event. Other athletes who made their way to Wernhil include the two female marathon runners, Helaria Johannes and Beata Naigambo.
Helge Denker, a postage stamp designer assigned by NamPost, one of the official sponsors of the Olympics, designed four different stamps to promote Namibian Olympics, with the theme “Road to Olympics”, from the beginning of the journey to the Olympics, to promoting the athletes as representatives of Namibia, to competing with top level athletes and finally representing hope for the Namibian athletes.
 A total of 15 athletes will represent the country at this year’s Olympic Games. Other sponsors who were part of the campaign include Coca Cola, Samsung mobile, Welwitschia Travel, South African Airways (official carrier of the athletes), Virgin Active and Powerade.