To the Olympians

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa



It is once again that time when the world’s biggest athletics competition kicks off – this time in Tokyo, with some of Namibia’s finest stars set to compete.

Normally a colourful event filled with hype, there is an unusual feel towards it this time around given the invisible enemy in our midst by the name of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Still, we have our sons and daughters who will be flying the flag high at this year’s Olympics Games.

Yes, it is the biggest athletics competition and many athletes dream of a stage like this in their lifetime.

From North America to South America, from Asia to Europe and right down in Africa, nothing beats the excitement of winning a medal for your country and continent.

We go into this competition with a large number of potential medallists and probably the most talented group since Frankie Fredericks’ era.

Namibia will be represented once again and this time I can only hope for a medal from any of our stars.

We are going into this competition with Commonwealth gold medallists and arguably the most talented upcoming female sprinters of this generation.

We go into this event having nothing to lose as some of our athletes are set to compete in their last ever Olympics.

I feel we are allowed to dream about the unthinkable and that is why I feel we are closer to glory than we have been for the past 20 years.

We had a better chance of claiming a 400m gold or silver at Tokyo, but the cards have been changed after two of our female sprinters were disqualified due to high levels of testosterone.

What, however, amazes me is the fact that these girls have not been deterred and are ready to take the 200m by storm.

They are not the strongest in that division and are set to come up against one of the best female athletes of our generation - Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

The truth is I am not scared of whoever they come up against because I still have a strong feeling that they are going to give these athletes a run for their money.

I would, therefore, like to urge all Namibians to rally behind the team equally as we head into the biggest competition in world athletics.

These athletes need us now more than ever because I am sure that they are nervous as they embark on a journey to represent a whole nation of 2.5 million against nations that have close to billions in population.

We are indeed a small nation with a small population, but we are known for our bravery and ‘never say die’ mentality.

We are up against nations with advanced training methods and technology.

I, however, do not find our dream of winning a medal impossible, even when we are up against the odds.

We have to roar, we have to fight and we should not give up on chasing that Olympic medal, even if it appears to be a titanic task.

Sometimes I know as a country we demand too much but just as any human, we crave success and glory and we hope our athletes can bring us that.

To the athletes, just know that I believe in you and I am confident that you will do whatever it takes to make us proud.

I want you to go on that field and leave everything on that arena.

I want you to perform and compete to the best of your ability. I want you to die on that arena for your country. We love you.a