Archive - Dec 2009 - Story

Namibia’s junior hockey players excelled at the annual National Pro Series Indoor Tournament in South Africa in December, winning three medals against South Africa’s top provincial teams. Namibia’s Under 15 girls’ team won a gold medal, Namibia’s Under 13 girls’ team won a silver medal and Namibia’s Under 17 boys’ team won a bronze medal.

Namibia’s Brave Warriors climbed one position to 113 in the world according to the monthly FIFA ranking which were released on December 16. Namibia were not active during the period under review, with their last match being their 1-0 defeat to Zambia on October 25. That was Namibia’s first defeat of 2009, as they won one and drew four other matches during the year. Namibia are ranked 30th in Africa and eighth in the SADC region.

Mozambique were the top ranked nation in the SADC region with a world ranking of 72 and an African ranking of 14.

2009 was a watershed for Athletics Namibian as Alpha Kangueehi’s controversial reign as president finally came to an end. Kangueehi had presided over Namibian athletics for more than five years during which time sponsorships dried up while national track and field as well as cross-country championships steadily diminished.

Namibia’s national rugby team capped a great year when they beat Tunisia 22-10 in Windhoek on October 28 to qualify for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. It was the fourth successive time that Namibia had qualified for the World Cup and the fifth time overall, as they once again underlined their status as the second best rugby nation on the African continent behind the world champions, the Springboks from South Africa. Namibia’s victory in Windhoek gave them a 40-23 aggregate victory after Namibia won the first leg in Tunisia 18-13.

Namibia beat Tunisia

Max Siedentopf won the Pupkewitz Jetty Mile for the third year in a row in Swakopmund on Sunday. The 18 year old scholar won the duathlon, consisting of a 1,6km swim in the sea and a 1km run in a time of 34:52 to finish 60 seconds ahead of South African triathlete Nico Sterk.

Another Namibian scholar, Boris Kulikowski of Swakopmund came third overall in 36:01, followed by veteran Tokkie Bombosch (36:15) and junior athlete Benjamin Buckendorf (41:21).

Namibian boxing had an excellent year during 2009, producing one world champion and several continental champions to underline Namibia’s status as the most successful boxing nation in Africa. Besides their success in the professional ranks, Namibia’s senior amateur team also won the African Boxing Confederation Zone 6 Championships, while the junior team won the overall gold medal at the SADC Zone 6 Youth Games.

Namibia’s Brave Warriors started the year ranked at 115 in the world and ended it at 114 in the world. Although there didn’t seem to be much change, the year saw some wild fluctuations, as they dropped to a low of 128 before shooting up to a high of 101 in the world. In the process they went on an unbeaten run of six matches before losing to Zambia in October.

In March Namibia drew 0-0 against Botswana, 1-1 away to Lebanon and 0-0 away to Angola. In June Namibia gave their best performance, thrashing DR Congo 4-0 in Windhoek, before they drew 1-1 against Swaziland in September.

South African rugby coach John Williams achieved his target of qualifying Namibia for the 2011 Rugby World Cup when they beat Tunisia 22-10 on November 28. Williams was appointed as Namibia’s national coach in April 2008 and in the ensuing 20 months shaped a formidable team that has now qualified for the international showpiece of world rugby. In the process Namibia created history by qualifying for their fourth successive World Cup and fifth World Cup in total.

A delegation of almost 50 Namibians traveled to Pretoria, South Africa, on the 11th December to participate in the annual Zone 6 Gymnastics Competition. The 39 gymnasts brought prestige and pride to our country and our sport when they managed to win 15 overall medals, 13 team medals and 26 Individual Apparatus Medals.

The highlights for Namibia were the two overall gold medals which were won by Michel’le Solomons (senior girls – trampoline) and Anica Profitt (senior rhythmic gymnastics).

By Bernd Kroemer

The year 2009 was marked by a decline in spectator numbers. The dissatisfactory sponsorship situation must be adressed as well. Another critical point is the recruitment of young talents, since due to a lack of riders the 65cc Class stopped existing this year. Here however, help is already on the way in the form a new track being built at the clubhouse in Olympia, which is suitable for children.