THE year 2009 year was excellent for some local sport heroes and it also dished out mixed fortunes for plenty, while some did not manage to taste the glory they aspired and worked for. The Namibian’s sports writer, CORRY IHUHUA, touches on some of the high and low moments, as well as the best and worst individual and team performances on the local and international scenes this year.
Best PerformersPaulus ‘The Hitman’ Moses, Namibia’s WBA lightweight world champion for defending his title and scooping the Sportsman of the Year.Namibian ace mountain bike rider Heletje van Staden for her consistent international shows to earn her the domestic Sportswoman of the Year accolade. Tigers striker Tangeni Shipahu for taking his chance on national level after being overlooked for too long and banging in goals for his side.Women football national team striker Kleintjie Fredericks for her outstanding performances for both her team Okahandja Beauties and Brave Gladiators despite persistent injuries. Wow!Sprinter Usain Bolt of Jamaica – setting the athletics track ablaze, what more can I say?Exceptional Lionel Messi of Barcelona for landing the European Player of the Year, but mostly for his intelligence towards the edge of the box and his classy goals.South African 800-metre world champion Caster Semenya for her epic performance at the World Champs despite the gender saga.Springbok and Blue Bulls flyhalf Morné Steyn for an epic season for his country and club. Steyn won the Super 14 and Currie Cup titles with the Blue Bulls, while he took the British an Irish Lions accolades as well as the Tri Nations with the Boks. He capped it off with SA Rugby Player of the Year award. Worst PerformersNamibia’s Brave Warriors for failing to knock out opponents at home and settling for a string of draws and not seeing much of the ball against a well-oiled Zambian side at the Cosafa Castle Cup.Just Outstanding!Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao, who is the first man to win seven world titles in seven different weight divisions. He is better known as ‘Pacman’ and also goes by the names ‘The Pride of Philippine’ or ‘The Mexicutioner.’Pacman holds the WBC welterweight, WBC Super featherweight, IBF super bantamweight and WBC flyweight world titles and has won 50 of his 55 pro-fights with only three losses and two draws.Best PerformancesThe Namibian national rugby side for qualifying for the 2011 IRB Rugby World Cup which will be staged in New Zealand. Namibia goes to the showpiece for the fourth consecutive time and rugby is so far the most consistent code when it comes to competition on the world stage.All the Namibian swimmers who make a huge splash domestically and on the international scene.Kenya’s Sevens rugby side for producing a shocker against Wales to take the IRB World Sevens Series Bowls final. Simply awesome! The All Blacks 15-man side for making a clean sweep in their year end tours in Europe. The All Blacks bounced back from their disastrous Tri-Nations Series which was scooped by the Boks to effectively suffocate the northern hemisphere sides through their dominant displays. Great ComebacksBlue Waters for making it back into top-flight football after a stint in the lower division and going undefeated for their five opening matches.Black Africa goalkeeper Arnold Subeb for keeping is side in the mix with fine saves after missing out due to consistent finger injuries for the opening rounds of the season.Former Ramblers playmaker Nelson Akwenye for making a return to Tigers and shaking off a car accident injury to provide stability in his childhood sides midfield.US veteran cyclist Lance Armstrong for putting up a great show during the Tour de France in June this year. Form is temporary, but class is forever.England flyhalf Johny Wilkinson for slotting though a couple of pointers for the Roses in their end of year tours despite poor play by his side.Dan Carter of the All Blacks and making a huge impact in their year-end tours after missing out on the Tri-Nations though injury.On the Comeback TrailFormer Namibian middleweight world champion Harry Simon who is hard at work to rekindle his blotted boxing career.Great FightersHotspurs FC for going down gallantly in most of their MTC Premiership first-round matches. Despite losing by large margins sometimes, the side fights to the end.Namibian swimmers who continue to keep the Namibian flag high at the various continental and international championships.Springbok flanker Heinrich Brussow for his tenacity and immense contribution to the success of the national team this year. He helped the Cheetahs to reach the Currie Cup finals, while he was voted as SA Young Player of the Year.World Moto GP champion Valentino Rossi for winning his ninth world title this year.Shame Black Africa management for letting Ali Akan go under a cloud of suspicion despite his excellent record of 20 wins, one loss and five draws since he took over mid last season.Boxing promoter Nestor Tobias and world champion boxer Paulus ‘The Hitman’ Moses for parting ways with N$12 000 in cash in an armed robbery in Johannesburg, South Africa.World golf star Tiger Woods for his off-the-fairways escapades. His ‘birdie’ let him down considerably.Former club owner Hendrik Dawids for pulling out mid-season. It could have been ideal to finish off the season. They could have won both the league and the NFA Cup, who knows?Awesome?Brave Warriors captain Quinton ‘Querra’ Jacobs for turning on the magic for African Stars in midfield. His skills and vision on the pitch leave many in awe.The rampant Blue Bulls rugby side for scooping both the Super 14 title and the coveted Currie Cup this season. They were a true ‘Blou Masjien’.The Springboks for landing the Tri-Nations trophy and downing the British and Irish Lions in their yearly Series in South Africa.Commendable FeatsMTC for single-handedly forking out millions for sport in the country. The mobile operator has invested close to N$15 million in sport alone this year. For Namibia’s wing of Youth Development through Football (YDF) for promoting like skills in urban and rural schools and setting up football structures.Nawalife for doing their bit in getting young people to lead healthy lifestyles through their educational programmes and sport activities.Special Olympics Namibia for their visible activities for all the differently able people.Tigers Football Club management for bringing in changes in the side by compensating players looking back at their heroes, while most supporters turn up at matches in the team’s replica jerseys.Hats Off To Namibian boxing promoter and manager Nestor Tobias, who selflessly dedicated his life to developing and producing African and world champions in Namibia.To the Namibia Cricket Board (NCB) for keeping Namibian cricket on the go with high profile matches locally.To MTC’s general manager for corporate communications, Albertus Aochamub, for hitting Government on their lack of vision and poor funding as well as the general lack of interest in sports.To African Stars management for taking the bold step of commercialising the team in a fair and practical way to both its members and new majority shareholder, Sidney Martin.To former Namibian sprint ace Frank Fredericks for restoring order and bringing hope to the careers many young athletes after taking over as Athletics Namibia president.To the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) for showing their muscle by installing interim committees for basketball and netball, which has been off the radar for years.To Namibia Premier League chairman Johnny Doëseb who tries to run the league in the most professional way and aiming for the highest levels.Getting thereFor leo to splash out a few millions into football since taking over the famous NFA Cup last year. Their contribution is positive for the growth of game and cultivates good competition among the teams.The National Media Team for making a name for themselves through several great performances on the social scene, despite being in existence for only two years now.Biggest Time and Money WastesNAWISA (Women in Sports) for having no clear-cut mandate or reason for existing.Disappointing The Namibia Football Association (NFA) for not making Namibia an attractive venue for foreign nations to camp here ahead of the 2010 African Nations Cup and the World Cup. You snooze, you loose. The Ministry of Sports and its Directorate for their lack of vision, innovation and reluctance to push for more funding from Government to sports in general over the years.Bad losers Brave Warriors coach for Tom Saintfiet for failing to take the flak on the team’s poor home record and instead hitting out at journalists. Barry Rukoro for failing to professionally clear the air on allegations made by Ali Akan on corruption during the Offside football television programme. And for Akan for not shaking Rukoro’s hand after a heated debate at the end of the show. Best coachesTigers coach Brian Isaacks for restoring much-needed discipline and a high work ethic at Tigers since taking over this season.Pirates mentor Dawid Snewe and Bobby Samaria for keeping their teams focused and in pursuit for the league title.Lucky Shipanga of Blue Waters for surviving the harsh lower division waves and bringing back the side to premiership football.Former rugby national team John Williams for his tactical and technical acumen by forming a winning team that he qualified for the 2011 World Cup. Most ProfessionalEleven Arrows coach Ronnie Kanalelo for accepting responsibility for his team’s poor form and responding to the media in a professional way, without playing the blame game.Charles Nyambe and Stacy Naris at Special Olympics Namibia for always putting their best foot forward in whatever they do.Women football co-ordinator Jackey Gertze for her being helpful and forthcoming on issues pertaining to women football.EmbarrassingThe fact that the first divisions did not kick a ball this season apparently due to no sponsorship. Simply unacceptable.The national under-20 side for suffering a 9-0 drubbing to South Africa in a junior tournament and ultimately being flung out without making any major impact earlier this month.United Stars for being hammered 9-3 by SKW and again 7-2 by Civics in their MTC Premiership matches. ShockingThe decisions made by referees handing MTC Premiership matches. Their poor judgement has lost teams points and also led to a match between Eleven Arrows and United Stars being abandoned due to not clear-cut reasons.The participation of the Namibian Sevens Team in an insignificant tournament on the periphery in Dubai, while the big guns where battling it out next door.Best MomentsThe visit of former German national women team player Nia Kunzle to Namibia.The retirement and subsequent testimonial match of former Black Africa midfield dynamo Lolo Goraseb.Worst fansSome African Stars supporters who fire missiles onto the field whenever decisions go against their team.The majority of Namibia’s rugby supporters who do not support the national team, but instead remain home and watch South African provincial rugby on television.Best fansSKW and Ramblers fans who despite the poor runs of their sides come to the stadium, despite the small numbers. Black Africa and Tigers fans who have outgrown the hooligan culture and who behave extremely well even if their team’s legitimate goals are not given.
