‘I gave my best’ – Ahrens

GABY Ahrens returned to Namibia yesterday, satisfied that she had done her best at the Olympic Games.

Ahrens finished last in the Women’s Olympic Trap competition on Saturday, but said she would learn from the experience.’I’m sad that I came last, but the level of competition was very high and I’ll take the positives and try to learn from this experience. One cannot win every day and I must also learn from losing,’ she said.’I gave my best, but this time it was not supposed to be me. I’ve accepted that, it’s fine and next time I will just try harder. Shooting is up and down, and sometimes it’s just not your day,’ she added.Ahrens said she was upset by negative reports in Namibia and that the Olympic Games were not just about winning medals.’It’s hard out there with the media just focusing on the negatives, and I’m just sad because we are all trying to give our best.’’But it’s not just about winning medals, but about the whole experience of being at the Olympics and about the idea behind it – it’s about all the nations in the world coming together in peace and having a healthy competition,’ she said.She thanked Minister of Sport Kazenambo Kazenambo for his support, after he had earlier called on Namibians to support their athletes at the Olympic Games. ‘I read what Minister Kazenambo said and his words were very inspiring. He really understands what sport is all about and how difficult it is to get to the Olympics.’Jessica Rossi of Italy gave a great performance to win the gold medal with a new world record score of 99 out of 100. ‘It was a world-class performance and it is clear they have the depth in Italy. I was there in June preparing for the Olympics and I could see how many shooters they have and how much money they put into the sport. It was a great performance and she is a true world champion,’ Ahrens said.Ahrens said that the Olympic Games was an amazing experience, while the Opening Ceremony where she was Namibia’s flag bearer was a special moment.’It was one of the proudest moments in my life. It was an honour for me to carry our flag and to lead the Namibian team into the Olympic Stadium. I’ll remember that moment for the rest of my life.’Ahrens will not have much time to relax as she leaves for Angola on Thursday to compete in the Angolan Championships, while she will also compete in the African Grand Prix in October.She said her passion for shooting was as strong as ever and that she hoped to still achieve success in the future.’I will try out new challenges and will have to budget to see where I can afford to compete. I love shooting and I’m determined to one day win a medal for my country,’ she concluded.