SON wins silver at inaugural Unified World Cup

Special Olympics Namibia (SON) were outstanding at the inaugural Unified 3-on-3 Basketball World Cup, finishing with a silver medal at the tournament on Sunday.The three-day event took place at the Distrito T-Mobile complex in San Juan, Puerto Rico, hosted by Special Olympics International and Special Olympics Puerto Rico.The International Basketball Federation (FIBA)-modelled showpiece brought together nearly 200 athletes from 27 nations in the men’s and women’s divisions. Namibia secured a place in the men’s second division section.Athletes with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), known as unified partners, competed together as part of Special Olympics’ commitment to inclusion through sport.The tournament followed the official unified 3-on-3 format on a half-court with one basket. Teams were made up of five players, three with IDD and two without, sharing play in fast-paced 10-minute games or first to 21 points, with a 12-second shot clock. The action celebrated teamwork and challenged stigma through inclusive competition.Fielded playersSON fielded Quinton Gaeb, Moses Fredricks and Muzuvee Katjive from Moreson Special School in the Khomas Region, alongside unified partners Benhard Hausiku and Walter Gaseb.They were accompanied by SON director Levien Smit as head of delegation and coach Pedro Pasile.Their selection followed their gold-medal performance at SON’s Unified Men’s 3-on-3 Basketball national qualifiers in September, where ten teams from Kavango East, Zambezi, Khomas and Oshana competed in Windhoek.In Puerto Rico, Namibia were drawn in Group D alongside the Dominican Republic, Germany and Saudi Arabia.Other groups featured nations such as hosts Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, China, Australia, Canada, Montenegro, Chinese Taipei, Chile, Paraguay, Brazil, Jordan, Italy, the United Arab Emirates and India.Campaign runSON started their campaign slowly, falling 21-4 to the Dominican Republic, but regained momentum later in the day with a 12-3 win over Germany.They carried that form into day two, beating Saudi Arabia 10-4 to finish second in the group and secure a spot in the second-division semi-final.In the semi-final, they faced top-seed Canada and produced a determined display to win 6-3 and book their place in the gold and silver medal match against Italy.Italy proved too strong in the final, defeating Namibia 13-5. Despite settling for silver, SON celebrated a spirited run throughout the tournament.‘A great experience’Reflecting on the campaign, SON congratulated the team on their social media platforms.“What an achievement and what an incredible journey it has been. This team played with heart, energy and unwavering determination. We are truly proud of the way they represented the country on and off the court,” they said.“Their sportsmanship, unity and passion were felt in every game. What a wonderful experience and such remarkable growth we have seen in every player. [It has been] a great first-ever World Cup experience.”– mariud@nsh.com.na

SON wins silver at inaugural Unified World Cup

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SON wins silver at inaugural Unified World Cup

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