RYAN Williams and Beatrice Masilingi were the star performers at the National Athletics Championships in Windhoek over the weekend.
Williams finally broke his discus record, while Masilingi also broke a record, although it wont count due to an illegal wind reading.
Two weeks ago, Williams broke his own discus record of 53,92m with a distance of 56,70m, but since the correct measuring tape was not used, the new record could not be verified.
On Saturday, though, the correct equipment was in place and Williams once again smashed his old mark with a distance of 56,06m to set the new official Namibian record.
Williams said he was very satisfied to finally break the record.
“It’s been a long seven months with Covid-19 and all. I trained on my own for the past seven months, I had no coach to train with, so I’m very pleased with the distance and glad I could break the record,” he said.
Williams added that he tried to put the disappointment of his previous annulled record throw behind him.
“I was a bit disappointed, because we work hard for these type of things and when they don’t have the equipment it’s a bit disappointing, but I put it behind me. If I keep looking into that mistake I’m not going to go forward, so I’m just glad I could go past 56m today again,” he said.
“I have big dreams and big plans, if it’s God’s will, I will continue with athletics for the rest of my life. I’m working towards the 2024 and 2028 Olympic Games so I hope the record will be broken many more times,” he added.
Masilingi, meanwhile, gave a great performance to win the women’s 200m in a blistering 22,81 seconds, which beat Globine Mayova’s national record of 23,34 seconds, but since Masilingi had an illegal wind reading of 2,8 metres per second from behind, the record will not be recognised.
Her time, however, was also a mere 0,01 seconds behind the Olympic Games qualifying time, which will give her confidence of breaking the mark in the near future.
Masilingi, who is also close to qualifying for the Olympics in the 400m, was in a class of her own in the sprints, as she also won gold in the 100m and 400m events.
She won the former in 11,52 seconds, followed by Hanganeni Fikunawa (12,88) and Ndawana Haitembu (12,88) and the latter in 58,46 seconds, followed by Nandi Vaas (59,50) and Radegundus Gustav (1:01,13).
The men’s sprints saw some exciting showdowns, with Sandro Diergaardt (10,80 seconds) just beating Ernst Narib (10,93) to the post in the 100m, while Narib won the 200m in 20,94, followed by Ivan Danny Geldenhuys in 21,31.
Geldenhuys, however, beat Narib in the 400m to win in 47,15 seconds, with Narib second in 47,66.
Sandro Diergaardt, meanwhile, won a second gold medal in the men’s long jump with a distance of 7,26m, followed by Aston Mukwilongo (6,26m) and Ruwayno De Koe (6,25m).
Kefas Kondjashili also won two gold medals in the men’s long distance events. He won the 5 000m in 14:24,15, followed by Daniel Paulus (14:26,27) and the 10 000m in 30:18,41, followed by Lisias Teofelus (32:34,10) and Jesaja Matheus (32:39,94).
Christine Mbonga and Chriselda Jenkins also won two gold medals each in the women’s middle distance and throwing events respectively.
Mbonga won the 800m in 2:11,65, followed by Salmi Nduviteko (2:22,36) and Radegundus Gustav (2:25,00), as well as the 1 500m in 5:03,84, followed by Nduviteko (5:09,25) and Peneyambeko Titu (5:11,47).
Jenkins won the women’s javelin in 31,98m, followed by Jene Hatting (30,99) and Silver Tuaine (26,11); and discus throw in 41,26m, followed by Tuaine Silver (35,15) and Vasti Schultz (20,78).
Ndakulilwa Nghishoongelwe won the women’s 5 000m in 18:49,91; Chrislene Klein-Nienaber won the high jump in 1,55m; Natalie Louw won the long jump in 5,57m; and Tuaine Silver won the shot put in 12,86m.
Daniel Nghipandulwa won the men’s 800m in 1:54,95, followed by Vaino Ashuulu (1:55,40) and Uhorera Mavenjono (1:55,69), while Jeremia Shaliaxwe won the 1 500m in 3:59,85, followed by David Dam (4:01,01) and Mavenjono (4:09,92).
Leander Louw won the men’s 400m hurdles in 58,43 seconds; Emmanuel Samantu won the high jump in 2,10m; Dawid Afrikaner won the triple jump in 14,67m; Leeor-el Breytenbach won the shot put in 14,79m; and Jasper Engelbrecht won the javelin in 62,17m.
