Archive - Jun 2009 - Story

Three Namibian rhythmic gymnasts have been selected to participate in an international event in Durban, South Africa at the beginning of July. Aldi Truter, Fabienne Henle and Anna Shahilu, who are all from the SKW club, will participate in the “eThekwini International Rhythmic Championships” and will battle it out for medals against 80 gymnasts from all over the world. Their selection follows a training camp in Walvis Bay, which took place during the May holidays.

Namibian junior welterweight boxer Sacky “Izinyoka” Shikukutu maintained his unbeaten professional record when he beat Botswana’s Dintwe Sloca on a sixth round knockout in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Shikukutu dominated from the start and already in the first round, put Sloca down for the count of eight. In the fourth round he once again knocked Sloca to the canvas and then finished him off with a powerful left hook in the sixth round.

In the process Shikukutu chalked up his eighth consecutive victory, while it was Sloca’s second defeat in eight pro fights.

By Bernd Kroemer

As in previous years, it was the Jägermeister Team from South Africa that ran away with most of the trophies at the AMU MX Championships that took place at the Gallina Race Track over the weekend. With the exception of Namibia’s Björn Bierbrauer who won bronze in the MX2 class, South African riders won all the medals on offer.

Unfortunately Namibia did not enter riders in the 50cc or 85cc Classes, but those classes that Namibia participated in, they always finished second in the nations rating, which was an excellent achievement.

The president of Oshikandela Ramblers Football Club, Manny Coelho, has warned that they could take drastic action following the dismissal of their appeal against Orlando Pirates on Friday evening. Coelho accused the NFA of discriminating against Ramblers and said that he had had enough. He said that they would hold a meeting with their lawyers, sponsors and shareholders to discuss the way forward for the club.

Bobby Samaria pulled off an amazing feat by winning the MTC NPL title in his first season with African Stars. Samaria had won several cup titles with Black Africa in their golden run between 2005 and 2006 but this was the first time that he had won the Premier League title. It was a great accomplishment by Samaria, who at the age of 39 is one of the youngest coaches in the league. Namibia Sport editor Helge Schutz spoke to Samaria about Stars’ great season.

How did you feel when you won the league title after drawing 1-all to Pirates?

Namibia gave a brilliant display to overwhelm the Ivory Coast 54-14 at the Hage Geingob Rugby Stadium on Saturday afternoon and take a step closer to qualifying for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

The match was however spoiled by intermittent fighting and the referee had his hands full shortly after the kickoff when fighting broke out amongst the forwards. The referee finally managed to restore order and sent the Ivory Coast’s eighthman Bakary Meite and Namibian prop Marius Visser off for ten minutes.

Orlando Pirates beat Eleven Arrows 3-2 on penalties to win the Cell One NFA Cup on Saturday evening.
After a goalless first half, Arrows took the lead on 47m when Rudolph Bester stabbed in a loose ball. Pirates however drew level through a cracking volley by John Samson on 64m to send the match into extra time.

Neither team could break the deadlock in extra time, although Arrows wasted some great chances, notably through Edward Damaseb and Freedom Puriza and the match had to be decided on penalties.

Namibian cyclist Erik Hoffmann has been in great form in Germany recently, winning two events in Baden Wurtemburg in southern Germany over the past month. Last Saturday Hoffmann won the Durach Criterium over 90km when he beat professional cyclist Sebastian Baldauf of the Milram team in a sprint to the line.

On the last two rounds of the criterium Hoffmann and Baldauf broke away from the leading peleton and after a final sprint they crossed the finish line within a hair’s breadth of each other. After the judges conferred, Hoffmann was declared the winner.

Rugby, soccer and motocross tops the weekend’s sporting action with the Cell One NFA Cup final and Namibia’s Rugby World Cup qualifier against the Ivory Coast both scheduled to take place on Saturday. Motocross fans are also in for a feast as the top riders on the continent will battle it out for honours at the Full Throttle AMU MX-Championship of African Nations at the Gallina track outside Windhoek.

Saturday’s Cell One NFA Cup final between Orlando Pirates and Eleven Arrows is under threat after Ramblers lodged an appeal against Pirates for using a suspended player in their 3-2 semifinal victory on May 30.

The player at the centre of the storm is Pirates defender and assistant coach Mohammed Ouseb, who was ordered off the bench during Pirates’ quarterfinal victory against African Stars.

Ouseb was asked to leave the technical area by the referee, which according to Ramblers’ chairman Harald Hecht was the same as a red card.