Paralympic Relay team excels in Madrid
The Seven athletes that participated in Madrid on 18 and 19 June did the country proud in becoming the first ever team in this format to qualify for the Paralympic games. History was made as this was a milestone in para-sport for Namibia and Africa at large.
The team that competed on 18 June in the relay qualifications, consisted of Johannes Nambala, Moses Tobias with guide David Ndelenga, Martin Alousoius and Ananias Shikongo with guide Sem Shimanda .The team set a new Namibian record of 44.49s and in the process reaching the maximum qualifying standard for Rio games.
In the individual races, Ananias Shikongo with guide Sam Shimanda ran a seasons best in the T11 men 200m in a time of 23.02s which moved him up the the world ranking. Moses Tobias with guide Johannes Nambala also ran an impressive race in the men 200n T11 and in the process smashed his personal best and at the same time achieved the A qualifying standard or the Rio games, while Martin Aloiusous came second in the men long jump of 6.17m very close to the a mark of 6.30m.
Overall it was a good day for the team as their aim of the team was half way completed and the athletes were more motivated for the next day’s races.
In day two in Madrid, Ananias competed in the 100m T 11 men and won the race with a seasons best of 11:43s. Johannes Nambala followed the trend as he won the the T13 100m men with a seasons best of 11:03s.
Martin Alousouis followed up with another impressive performance in second place in the T12 400m men, in the process he also achieved a qualification standard for Rio games.
Johannes Nambala showed his class by demolishing his competitors in the T13 400m men in a time of 49,47s, which was his seasons best.
Unfortunately Eino Mushila who is still a novices at this level come in 3 with a time of 53.31s in the 400m T13, while Moses Tobias with guide Sem Shimanda came in 4 in the T11 400m in a time of 56.76s.
National Paralympic coach, Michael Hamukwaya, said these were good results for the team and the entire delegation that will participate in the Paralympic games in Rio.
“I am very happy to see their time improve with every race, world class time before Rio and I am really honoured to have the first relay team that will be taking part in the Paralympic in the history of sport in Namibia,”said Hamukwaya.
