Athletes look sharp for All Africa Games

NAMIBIA’S boxers, athletes and swimmers went for a final training session Wednesday before the All Africa Games officially got underway yesterday.

All the coaches have expressed satisfaction with their athletes’ training programmes and the athletes themselves are confident. Athletics coach Dumont Karupa is happy with the form of young Tjipe Herunga.The 19-year-old 400m runner won the Southern African Senior Championships in Windhoek at the end of May in a great time of 53,30, which broke Agnes Samaria’s national record.”Tjipe is in great form.I think she can go under 53 seconds and if she does that, she should be able to qualify for the finals,” he said.Frank Puriza, who is studying at Frank Fredericks’ old university, Brigham Young University in the United States, has been looking sharp in training and is also in confident mood.Puriza will compete in the 200m and 400m where his personal best times are 21,05 and 46,30 seconds respectively.”I will be happy if I can go under 21 seconds for the 200m and 46 seconds for the 400m,” he said.Other athletes who went through their paces Wednesday were sprinter Hitjivirue Kaanjuka, high jumper Solomon Tuaire and Hilaria Johannes, who will be doing the 20km road race.The boxers trained at the Military Academy Gym and also looked sharp.”We know that the nation is expecting medals from us and we are determined to do well,” said bantamweight boxer Immanuel Naindjala.Heavyweight Tobias Munihango was also in confident mood.”I am aiming for a medal.I won the bronze medal at the 2005 African Championships but then I was sick and not in good shape.Now I’m fit and ready, so I’m aiming for the gold,” he said.Namibia’s Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Japhet Uutoni is also looking sharp and will be aiming to make it three gold medals in a row, after he also won the African Championships in Morocco in 2005.Other boxers who will be hoping to do well are flyweight Johannes Simon, who recently won the boxer of the tournament award in a competition between South Africa and Namibia, lightweight Julius Indongo, welterweight Desmond Kasuto and light heavyweight boxer Trevor Jacob.Boxer Tobias Munihango celebrated his birthday with little fanfare on Tuesday.When asked if he received any presents, Tobias just gave a rueful smile.”My team mates just sang happy birthday to me in the bus on our way to the training.But that’s fine – I hope to get a medal as a present later in the ring,” he said.Team doctor Donatha Gawanab’s birthday was yesterday.”I’m turning 21,” she quipped, with a smile.Team manager Bernard Kaanjuka on Wednesday also went to pick up the shottists, cyclists and chess players at the airport, while more athletes are expected in the next few days.Namibia has sent over 50 athletes to the what is considered as the continents Olympic Games.This is the smallest of delegations since Namibia first competed at the 1991 Games.Despite the size of the team, Namibia has great individual sportsmen and women who can compete favourable at the Games.Biggest medal hopefuls are in boxing, swimming and athletics.The opening ceremony took place at the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday night, a huge open air, circular stadium, an eye-catching edifice, sporting all the flags of the African nations.The Media Centre is also situated at the Olympic Stadium, with state-of-the-art telecommunication networks.-www.namibiansport.com.naAthletics coach Dumont Karupa is happy with the form of young Tjipe Herunga.The 19-year-old 400m runner won the Southern African Senior Championships in Windhoek at the end of May in a great time of 53,30, which broke Agnes Samaria’s national record.”Tjipe is in great form.I think she can go under 53 seconds and if she does that, she should be able to qualify for the finals,” he said.Frank Puriza, who is studying at Frank Fredericks’ old university, Brigham Young University in the United States, has been looking sharp in training and is also in confident mood.Puriza will compete in the 200m and 400m where his personal best times are 21,05 and 46,30 seconds respectively.”I will be happy if I can go under 21 seconds for the 200m and 46 seconds for the 400m,” he said.Other athletes who went through their paces Wednesday were sprinter Hitjivirue Kaanjuka, high jumper Solomon Tuaire and Hilaria Johannes, who will be doing the 20km road race.The boxers trained at the Military Academy Gym and also looked sharp.”We know that the nation is expecting medals from us and we are determined to do well,” said bantamweight boxer Immanuel Naindjala.Heavyweight Tobias Munihango was also in confident mood.”I am aiming for a medal.I won the bronze medal at the 2005 African Championships but then I was sick and not in good shape.Now I’m fit and ready, so I’m aiming for the gold,” he said.Namibia’s Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Japhet Uutoni is also looking sharp and will be aiming to make it three gold medals in a row, after he also won the African Championships in Morocco in 2005.Other boxers who will be hoping to do well are flyweight Johannes Simon, who recently won the boxer of the tournament award in a competition between South Africa and Namibia, lightweight Julius Indongo, welterweight Desmond Kasuto and light heavyweight boxer Trevor Jacob.Boxer Tobias Munihango celebrated his birthday with little fanfare on Tuesday.When asked if he received any presents, Tobias just gave a rueful smile.”My team mates just sang happy birthday to me in the bus on our way to the training.But that’s fine – I hope to get a medal as a present later in the ring,” he said.Team doctor Donatha Gawanab’s birthday was yesterday.”I’m turning 21,” she quipped, with a smile.Team manager Bernard Kaanjuka on Wednesday also went to pick up the shottists, cyclists and chess players at the airport, while more athletes are expected in the next few days.Namibia has sent over 50 athletes to the what is considered as the continents Olympic Games.This is the smallest of delegations since Namibia first competed at the 1991 Games.Despite the size of the team, Namibia has great individual sportsmen and women who can compete favourable at the Games.Biggest medal hopefuls are in boxing, swimming and athletics.The opening ceremony took place at the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday night, a huge open air, circular stadium, an eye-catching edifice, sporting all the flags of the African nations.The Media Centre is also situated at the Olympic Stadium, with state-of-the-art telecommunication networks.-www.namibiansport.com.na