Athletes with disabilities set for African champs

FIVE Namibian athletes with disabilities will participate in the African Athletics Championships for People with Disabilities slated for June 13 to 20 this year in Morocco.

Speaking to Nampa yesterday, head coach of the national Paralympics team Michael Hamukwaya said the competition in Rabat acts as a qualifying event for the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championship slated for January next year.It is the first time that Namibia will take part in the African Athletics Championships for People with Disabilities. The athletes are Martin Aloisius, Annanias Shikongo, Johanna Benson, Reginald Benade and Namutenya Sondaha.Aloisius, a visually impaired athlete, will compete in the 100m, 200m and 400m races, while Shikongo, a blind athlete, will compete in the 100m, 200m and 400m races. Kelvin Kaizemo, an able-bodied athlete, will guide Shikongo during his races. Benson has cerebral palsy, and will compete in the 100m, 200m and long jump events. She already qualified for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.Benade, who has cerebral palsy, a group of disorders affecting body movement and muscle co-ordination, will compete in discus and shot put. He won a bronze medal in discus during the 2008 Beijing Paralympics in Beijing, China. Sondaha (visually impaired) will compete in the 100m, 200m and 400m events. Hamukwaya is confident of medals from his athletes, saying: ‘Namibia can definitely expect a couple of new African champions from us.’He encouraged companies to support the team with funds, since it currently relies only on the Ministry of Sport for funding.The team is set to depart on June 12, and will return on June 20. – Nampa