NAMIBIA should make a habit of taking care of its athletes. They should be supported before, during and after competitions. Doing so ensures the country will seamlessly continue to produce world-class competitors, says MTC spokesperson Tim Ekandjo.
MTC handsomely rewarded Namibia’s 2020 Tokyo Paralympic heroes in Windhoek yesterday.
Veteran sprinter Ananias Shikongo, who won a silver medal in the T11 400m, received a whopping N$100 000, while Johannes Nambala pocketed N$70 000 for his T13 400m bronze.
Shikongo’s guide, Sem Shimanda, received a N$50 000 reward for his contribution.
All three athletes and their coach, Letu Hamhola, also received brand new top-of-the-range smartphones.
“Today is about celebration. We want to recognise them. We want to say thank you very much for flying the Namibian flag high,” Ekandjo said.
Unlike their Olympic counterparts, who brought home a solitary silver medal, the Paralympic athletes have not received the same enthusiasm from the nation, despite their two medals.
Had it not been for a technical foul, Shikongo would have added a bronze to his Paralympic medals haul, which stands at a record-equalling four.
The legendary Frank Fredericks is the only other Namibian to win four Olympic medals. Nambala is the next best with three Paralympic medals.
Every athlete who excels should be showered with the same appreciation, said Ekandjo.
“For us an achievement is an achievement, irrespective of whether you participated in the Paralympics or the Olympics. We treat all our athletes the same,” he said.
“You will recognise that when Mboma and Masilingi were making a lot of waves, corporates were coming out left, right and centre, giving all kinds of things. But we did not see the same with the Paralympics,” he continued.
“Today we want to take the lead and show corporates that we should not discriminate when it comes to our athletes. Our Namibian athletes have done us proud.”
Shikongo detailed the hardships suffered in the lead up to the Tokyo Games after getting cold shouldered by the business community.
NamPower, who have supported the disability sport movement for over 10 years, were the only entity to back the Paralympic team’s patchy Tokyo training camp.
“Sometimes we give excuses like, ‘I cannot come to training today because I did not eat’. Then the coach will say I will e-wallet you a 100 dollar, make sure that you come to training’,” Shikongo said.
He intends to use the MTC reward to improve his level for next year’s international competitions.
“This money we will use to prepare for the Commonwealth Games and World Championships next year. We are just at the gate with MTC. We are trying to open the gate so that they can keep supporting us,” Shikongo said.
Nambala too is grateful that MTC has joined their main sponsor Nampower in backing their talent.
“This is just the start and I hope it will continue. It really encourages us and motivates us to work harder.
“We are facing the journey to Paris 2024 which starts now. These three years will be very busy for us,” Nambala said.
Shimanda said he was particularly happy that MTC recognised his role in Shikongo’s continued run to the podium on the grandest sports stage. Shimanda and Shikongo also combined for a bronze at the Rio Paralympics in 2016.
“I’m very happy with MTC. Namibians only recognise the athletes, and ignore the guide. Everybody just celebrates the athlete and not the guide. The guide is also important. Without the guide, the athlete cannot be where they are,” Shimanda said.
Ekandjo said the nation needs to adopt a culture of investing in sport development.
“We know it was not easy, especially during preparations because this is where the technical staff have a lot of challenges. Not now when they have won. But during the preparation stage, that is where we are lacking as a nation,” he said.
“ … for Namibia to continue producing future world-class athletes like Ananias and Nambala, more corporates must start to sustainably invest in and support sport development programmes in the country,” said Ekandjo.
