The Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) recently announced 117 athletes to benefit from the long-awaited Podium Performance Programme in preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games scheduled for Los Angeles, United States.
Talking to Desert FM recently, NSC chief administrator Freddy Mwiya said there will be an evaluation system that will continuously monitor the athletes’ performances.
“The ultimate goal is to bring competitiveness among the athletes, and among the sport codes, especially sport codes that we know go to that type of international competitions.
“We are looking at sport codes that compete at multidisciplinary sport games funded by the government. We are not looking at recreational sport codes, but we are looking at national, developmental and priority sport codes,” said Mwiya.
He added that the Podium Performance Programme (PPP) is designed to ensure the country will be proud of these athletes, as it represents a well-structured initiative for all individuals selected by their respective sport codes.
“We have the support of minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Sanet Steenkamp, and it is a programme for all the federations.”
Mwiya revealed that two giant companies, whose names are being withheld, will take over as programme sponsors and will sponsor the individual athletes.
“This programme will run on its own. There will be a marketing team that will help with fundraising events. It is important to emphasise that the board responsible for the PPP will be independent, not governed by the NSC, but by technocrats and people with expert knowledge. This is the right time for Namibia to identify talent that will be moulded for the 2028 Olympic Games. The PPP is our blueprint,” he added.
He emphasised that the 117 athletes will not remain in the programme if they do not perform.
“These are athletes identified from 13 sports codes, like athletics, boxing, chess, aquatic, swimming, wrestling, cycling, table tennis, karate, gymnastics and archery,” he said.
Mwiya noted that Namibia signed the PPP in 2018, with the signing done by the then minister of sport, youth and national service, Jerry Ekandjo. He added that they were supposed to have implemented the programme to ensure that athletes were prepared, produced and ready for international competitions.
“These are games starting with the African Youth Games, World Beach Games, Africa Senior Games and the Commonwealth Games, so that these athletes are able to achieve medals and not only compete,” he said.
“I know we had some challenges in the past. . . We started working on the paper documentation to ensure that this Podium Performance Programme starts.”
Mwiya added that it is a government-oriented program spearheaded by the NSC and assisted by the Namibia National Olympic Committee.
Athletics: E Gaseb, E //Hoeseb, D Geldenhuys, A Retief, R Williams, L Coetzee, P Daniel, L Haitopi, N Haitembu, J Nangula, B Masilingi, C Mboma, T Silver, M Naseb and M Waltz
Boxing: E Kambonde, G Iipinge, H Bronn, P Haoseb, P Kotze and P Ndevelo
Chess: H Ndahangwapo, D Beukes, Jolly-Joice Nepando, K van Wyk, J Beukes, A Brown, S Uangula, J Heita, S Angula and S Becker.
Cycling: V Looser, D Jansen van Vuuren, R Suren, H Hahn and A Miller
Gymnastics: Carane van Zyl, Thalia Loveira, Noa Lofty-Eaton, Isaaks, Jansen and Jessica Schlabits
Tennis: J Bezuidenhout, M van Schalkwyk, Connor van Schalkwyk, Codie van Schalkwyk, Steyn Dippenaar, Israel Dowie, R Yssei and J Theron
Triathlon: M Brinkmann, N Chase, James Langford, Nat Reece, Emma Brinkman, Kyra Marshall, Micah Chase and J Rooi
Paralympic: I Lahya, A Shikongo, J Nambala, C Kinda, J Kahima, L Ipinge, K de Olieira and P Karuli
Wrestling: C Nguatjiti, R Goliath, R Haimbodi, C Dreyer, J Ipinge and E Abraham
Aquatic: Ronan Wantenaar, Alexander Skinner, Oliver Durand, Jessica Hamphrey, Roselinda Matyayi, Luke Beukes, Lorenzo Esterhuizen, Jose Canjulo, Molina Smalley, Ainoa Naukosho, Vitoria de Sousa, Rodney Feris, Reza Westerduin, Madison Bergh and Nico Esslinger
Archery: E Tajlaard, J Meuwesen, J Coetzee, L D Wahler and JL du Toit
Judo: J Thuys and G Mouton
Karate: D Kabozu, Stuurman, P van Antwerp, F Mwiya, J Mwiya, C Poulton, S Labuschagne and N Naruses
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