Black Africa are well on course to win the Namibia Premier League title for a second successive year, after building up a nine-point lead over the chasing pack.
BA started the second round off with a draw against SKW and a victory against Tigers, and after 13 matches they were still unbeaten, with 10 wins and three draws.
It now seems that only a major loss of form will stop their title quest, but despite their big lead, some of the other clubs have not written off their chances.
Second-placed African Stars, for one, still believe they can win the title, with their captain Ronald Ketjijere saying that BA are a team like any other and that they don’t fear them.
At this stage it seems highly unlikely that they will catch BA, but their first major showdown already takes place on the ninth of this month when the two sides meet for their second round encounter. It will probably be the biggest encounter of the second round and if Stars win, they could still be in with a shout, so expect a titanic battle when these two giants meet.
In boxing, two of Namibia’s finest boxers, Paulus “Hitman” Moses and Betuel “Tyson” Ushona will be fighting abroad in March as they both challenge for international titles. Moses will be going for his second world title when he takes on Ricky Burns of Scotland for the WBO lightweight title, while Ushona takes on Jan Zaveck of Slovenia for the IBF Inter Continental title.
Both will be tough fights, on foreign soil, but both Namibians have the talent and dedication to succeed. Moses, after all, won his first world title on foreign soil, while Ushona also fought abroad a year ago, although he suffered his only defeat against Denton Vassell of Britain on that occasion.
But whatever the outcome, the mere fact that two Namibians are fighting for major titles abroad in the same month is testimony to the growing reputation of Namibian boxing.
In cricket, Namibia will compete with 15 other nations in Dubai, UAE this month for a place at the T20 World Cup which takes place in Sri Lanka in August. Namibia are in a very tough group along with tournament favourites Ireland and Scotland and with only the top two teams qualifying for the World Cup they, too, face a difficult task.
Furthermore, their top strike bowler Louis Klazinga has been out with a shoulder injury for more than six months and although they have some explosive batsmen in the likes of Gerrie Snyman, Craig Williams and LP van der Westhuizen, their bowling attack looks a bit thin.
In cycling, 20-year-old development rider Costa Seibeb pulled off a stunning victory in the Nedbank Cycle Challenge after having to overcome several setbacks. He nearly didn’t even make it to the starting line after becoming disillusioned with cycling, and then in the race itself he had a puncture but with the help of a team mate he still managed to win the race. It was a brave performance that could be the start of great things to come for the young cyclist.
In the March issue we also report on the African Cup of Nations finals that Zambia won after a dramatic penalty shootout against the Ivory Coast. The ‘Elephants’ from the Ivory Coast were the overwhelming favourites but Zambia’s ‘Copper Bullets’ defied all odds with a brilliant performance based on team work and a common vision.
But there was much more to this remarkable story, as they were spurred on by the memory of their fallen comrades who died in a plane crash in 1993. As their coach, Herve Renard said afterwards, their victory was ‘written in the sky.’
We also report on swimming and volleyball, and bring you our regular columns like the Sporting Calendar, They said it and the Local Sport Shorts. And remember to vote for your favourite Premier League player in our FNB Player of the Month competition.
Till next time, enjoy the mag!
Helge Schutz
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