SOME excellent results were recorded at the Coca-Cola National Schools’ Athletics Championships over the weekend with a total of 16 new records being established.
This was a big improvement on the eight records that were established at last year’s championships, although four of the new records came in the 2 000m steeplechase event which was held for the first time.’This was one of the best national schools’ competitions that we have had in many years. We had a record 16 new records, as well as some exceptional times, while we had a bumper crowd for both days of the competition,’ the national coordinator of the Namibia School Sport Union, Solly Duiker said.All of Namibia’s 13 regions participated at the Championships, which catered for girls and boys in the 12-13, 14-15, 16-17 and 18-19 year age group categories.HAIMATA BLITZThe best performance of the championships came from Gilbert Haimata of Erongo who won the Boys’ 18-19 years 100m with an exceptional time of 10,18 seconds.In the process he broke the 13-year-old record of 10,28 seconds that Sherwin Vries had established in 1999, and indicated that he has the potential to follow in the footsteps of Vries and Frank Fredericks.Other sprinters who excelled were Ismael Tjiramba of Khomas who won the Boys’ 16-17 years 100m in a new record time of 10,56 seconds and FC Pieterse of Khomas who won the Boys’ 18-19 years 110m hurdles in a new record of 13,87 seconds.In the field events, Sune Wittmann of Khomas set a new record of 47,00 metres in the Girls’16-17 years javelin; Anro Swanepoel of Khomas set a new Boys’ 14-15 years discus record of 45,78m; and Eugene Niemann of Erongo set a new Boys’ 14-15 javelin record of 52,23m.KHOMAS DOMINANCEThe Khomas Region once again dominated the championships, winning 42 gold, 33 silver and 35 bronze medals for a total of 113 medals.Otjozondjupa came second with 13 gold and 39 medals in total and Oshikoto third with 12 gold and 33 medals in total.For the first time all 13 regions won medals, including Caprivi which won two gold medals for the first time. According to Duiker this underlined the fact that development was being successfully implemented in the regions.’For the first time ever, all the regions won medals, which shows that development is taking place in the regions,’ he said.The championships also demonstrated a shift in power to the northern regions of Namibia, with regions like Oshikoto, Ohangwena and Oshana coming to the fore, while traditionally strong regions like Erongo, Karas and Hardap performed below par.Ohangwena finished fourth with 8 gold medals and 24 in total and Oshana fifth with 6 gold medals and 9 in total.Erongo, meanwhile, finished sixth with 5 gold medals and 22 in total, Hardap seventh with 3 gold medals and 24 in total, and Karas ninth with 3 gold medals and 14 in total.Duiker said that two Namibian teams had been selected to compete in upcoming regional international events. Namibia will compete at the COSSASA Games in Botswana from May 10 to 12 and the CAA Junior Athletics Championships in Windhoek from April 27 to 29. – namibiasport.com.na
