Namibia unveils 23 for Commonwealth Games

Namibia has confirmed a 23-athlete team across six sport codes for the Commonwealth Games, set for Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 2 August.

The announcement was made by Chef de Mission Joseph Amakali, who also serves as a board member of the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) and Commonwealth Games Association (CGA).

Amakali said the team comprises 15 men and eight women across athletics, para-athletics, bowls, boxing, gymnastics and swimming.

The athletes will be supported by coaches, managers, medical personnel, technical officials and administrators, forming a 39-member delegation.

Selected athletes

Athletics (all men): Chenoul Coetzee, Elvis Gaseb, Charley Matundu, Ryan Williams.

Team manager: Madeleine Kotze.

Coach: Gawaseb Zidane.

Para-athletics (one man): Ananias Shikongo.

Competition guide: Even Tjiviju.

Coach: Letu Hamhola.

Boxing (one woman, four men): Mischa Araes (w), Philip Hoaseb, Gebhard Iipinge, Petrus Kotze, Tryagain Ndevelo.

Team manager: Magreth Mengo.

Coaches: Ipundaka Lazarus, Albertus Tamaseb.

Gymnastics (all women): Sureshni Andrew, Anne-Leen Thorburn, Jonie Thorburn, Tyesha Humphries.

Coach: Petra Thorburn.

Bowls (two women, two men): Amanda Steenkamp (w), Diana Viljoen (w), Ronald Steenkamp, Waylon Wentzel.

Team manager: Lesley Vermeulen.

Coach: Axel Kranenbuhl.

Swimming (one woman, four men): Jessica Humphrey (w), Luke Beukes, José Canjulo, Oliver Durand, Ronan Wantenaar.

Coach: Jean-Michael Leitner.

Team management

Chef de Mission: Joseph Amakali.

Team manager: Andrew Masongo.

Team doctor: Dr Chase Bassingthwaighte.

Physiotherapists: Ruan Mocke, Owetu Rukoro.

Safeguarding officer: Maggy Katimba.

Press attaché: Elmau Boois.

NNOC-CGA delegation: Dr Ndeulipula Hamutumwa (president) and Anri Parker (chief executive officer).

Turnout

According to Commonwealth Sport, this year’s edition of the Games will welcome 3 000 athletes from 74 nations and territories to compete across 10 sports, including six Para sports, at four venues.

Namibia's previous successes

The Commonwealth Games are held every four years, with Namibia having competed at every edition since making its debut in 1994 in Victoria, Canada, where Frankie Fredericks stormed to gold in the men’s 200m and bronze in the men’s 100m.

Fredericks later reclaimed the 200m title in Manchester in 2002, while Jafet Uutoni won boxing gold in the light flyweight division in Melbourne in 2006.

Namibia last participated at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, where the country won four bronze medals through Ananias Shikongo in the men’s T11/12 100m, Helalia Johannes in the women’s marathon, Christine Mboma in the women’s 200m and Alex Miller in the men’s mountain bike cross-country race.

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