Namibia secures Division A spot at Special Olympics Winter Games

The Brave Boys made it to Division A of the floorball competition at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

This follows divisioning rounds of the competition on Tuesday when the Special Olympics Namibia (SON) team won three matches and lost two.

Divisioning is a critical stage, where athletes are grouped according to gender, age, and most importantly, competitive ability to be placed in the appropriate division for the official competition. This process ensures every athlete has a fair chance to compete on an equitable playing field, enhancing the spirit of inclusivity and sportsmanship.

“The team remains in high spirits and focused on the competition ahead. The Special Olympics Namibia (SON) team is excited and ready to showcase their skills and determination on the international stage,” says SON national director Levien Smit.

She is the head of delegation for the Turin Games, where Namibia is represented by one traditional male team of eight players in the floorball event.

“We are immensely proud of the team and their performances. What a great experience for them to play for the first time in a floorball competition outside their country,” Smit says

Namibia opened their first round account against Mexico, impressively sweeping the North Americans 3-1. They followed that up with a a hard-fought 3-2 win over Ireland.

The Brave Boys’ third match ended in a 5-1defeat to Sweden, but they bounced back with a comprehensive 3-1 win over China.

Namibia’s final match of the day was a 3-0 loss to Denmark. However, that result had little bearing on the Brave Boys’ destiny as they had done enough to earn a spot in the top division.

Their first Division A match will be against fellow Africans Kenya at 17h00 today.

Sweden and Denmark complete Division A.

In Division B are Switzerland, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ireland and China. Division C consists of Jamaica, Jordan, Poland and Iraq.