Commonwealth team visits State House

President Hifikepunye Pohamba urged Namibiaâ??s Commonwealth Games contingent to emulate the examples set by predecessors like Frank Fredericks at the upcoming Games in Melbourne, Australia.
â??In the past Namibian sportsmen and women participated at the Games and many did our country proud by winning medals and gaining international recognition,â? he said when the team paid a courtesy call at State House on February 27.
â??Therefore, this team should emulate those fine examples set by your fellow citizens. I am proud to acknowledge that we now have an ambassador at the International Olympic Committee in the name of Frank Fredericks, a great son of the soil,â? he added.
Pohamba expressed the hope that the athletes would perform to the best of their abilities, saying that the fact that they had qualified for the Commonwealth Games was an indication that Namibia continued to produce world-class athletes who could hold their ground in competition with the best in the world.
He called on the Namibian team to display exemplary behaviour at all times and called on the officials and administrators to ensure that the athletes were provided with the support and amenities that they required.
â??Our athletes should be well served so that they can concentrate on the task at hand, namely to compete and win,â? he said.
Namibia will be one of 71 countries competing at the Commonwealth Games. The Namibian delegation consists of 45 athletes and 15 officials. Namibian athletes will participate in the following sport codes:
Athletics, bowls, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, sevens rugby, shooting and swimming.