We are a team

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

The past couple of weeks have been all about the praise of our golden girls Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi.

We should however not shy away from the fact that Namibia also has other potential athletes that are set to compete at the Tokyo Olympics.

It is with this in mind that I would humbly request the nation to rally behind all our athletes who will be representing our country at the Olympics equally.

I have also noticed donations and funding that are directed towards the two golden girls.

Yes, it is an amazing gesture and one cannot help but applause those that have come to the party.

These girls are a phenomenon and the financial support serves as the kind of boost they need to accomplish the unthinkable.

However, I am urging corporate Namibia and regional councils not to overlook the other athletes set to compete at this year’s Tokyo Olympics.

We have to make sure that each and every Namibian that has qualified to this competition gets equal treatment and mileage from the media and feels like a Namibian.

It is equally important that everyone in the camp going to the Olympics feels the love and importance they have for this country.

This is not a country of individuals but a country of teams and togetherness.

All these athletes who have qualified to Tokyo worked really hard because it has never been easy to make a team to such an important global event.

It is therefore our responsibility as Namibians to make them feel that they deserve to be there and have already done us as a nation proud.

My appeal to corporate Namibia is for them to make sure that these athletes are given the right funding for them to have good preparations.

This thing of waiting for athletes to win big prizes before showing up as sponsors must really come to an end.

I remember that when Johanna Benson won gold at the Paralympics Games in 2012, all of a sudden, many companies had enough money to give her.

This is a practice that does not reflect well on how we operate and it is something that we need to correct.

I always believe that it is special if you fund an athlete before they become a big name because it then gives you the right to call yourself generous.

We have seen who the athletes are that have qualified and now it is time we spend on them as they prepare for the event.

We have probably the most talented and potential team we have had in over a decade, given what they have achieved in recent competitions.

This team has the experience and also has the youth in it and has the will in the to do good for the country.

I have never been so confident of Namibia finishing in more than one medal place at the Olympics than I am now.

What one would however not want is to put too much expectation and pressure on the younger athletes that are making their debut at the global event.

There are however also those that will probably be competing in their last Olympics and there is no better time than finishing off with a piece of silverware.

I hope that the team will be as brave as they always are and we all will be rallying behind each and every individual representing this country in Tokyo.

Unity wins, unity conquers and unity can be the reason why we claim a medal at this year’s Olympic Games. [email protected]