• Sport

NSSU showpiece live up to high expectations

• 13 Hours Ago

A high standard of performances was seen as the Namibia Schools Sport Union (NSSU) presented its national track and field championships for secondary and primary schools at Windhoek’s Independence Stadium last weekend.

The NSSU and the Khomas region (KSSR) received praise for a well-organised two-day event that steered away from most of the controversies of recent years.

Due to the booking of premier league football at the venue later on Saturday, time caught up with the athletics before the prestigeous victor and victrix ludorums prize winners could be announced. The NSSU is expected to name these top achievers later this week.

The NSSU teams could also be ready for top competition at the upcoming AUSC Region 5 Games to be hosted in Windhoek.

Support from the pavilions was constantly pushing athletes to their best performances in both track and field events.

Marike Weitz (Khomas) was among many outstanding prospects – even improving national age records set by current senior national shot put record holder Tuané Silver.

Weitz (girls 16-17) won the shot put at 16.26 metres, and the discus throw at 45.52 metres. Following in her footsteps, Laliq Adams (Khomas) is the new kid on the block for ages 12-13 in shot put (12.42) and discus throw (38.94).

Burger Oelofsen (Khomas) won the boys 18-19 shot put (12.78) and discus (42.07).



Speedsters impress

A number of sprinters also put up their hands with great results, including:

Boys 16-17, 100m: Miheshco Mouton (Hardap) 10.78; Martin Nghililewanga (Khomas) 10.80. Nghililewanga later bossed the 200 metres in 21.63.

Boys 14-15, 100m: Matthew Coetzee (Erongo) 11.14. He also won the 200 in 23.01.

Boys 18-19: Magano Naseb (//Kharas) 10.62 took gold in the 100 final, after Morney Kisting (//Kharas, 10.81) and Rauno Carvalho (Khomas, 10.84) both ran faster during their heats. Naseb also won the 200 final in 21.44.

Girls 12-13: Zoey Basson (Khomas) took the sprint double golds in 13.22 (heat 13.19) and 27.04 (heat 26.98).

Girls 16-17, 100m: Liezel Munyaza (//Kharas) heat 12.62; final 12.77.



High jump and hurdles

At the high jump, spectators were drawn into the record-breaking competition featuring boys 14-15 Andro Bouwer (Erongo, 1.90m), as well as Benjamin Hendrickse (Khomas) who won the 18-19 competition at 2.00.

• For the first time in years, the sprint hurdles appeared competitive as Dehan Rover (Khomas) won the 80 m hurdles (12.35) and 200 hurdles (29.82).

Another hurdles prospect is Ingo Wilckens (boys 14-15) who won the 110m (14.61) and 300m (43.25).

After his 300 win, Wilkens said: "It was a fantastic race; I am proud that I managed to win it. The guys were really coming on fast, but I managed to speed up at the final stretch. Next, I just want to continue doing well and compete in bigger competitions.”

A strong group is also emerging at boys 16-17, headed by Jaco Potgieter (Otjozondjupa; 14.83) who also clinched a tense 400 hurdles in 57.52, pushed hard by Operi Katjitundu (Hardap, 57.58) and Khomas’ Matthew Raubenheimer (58.36).

• A strong finish by Matt-Reese Isaaks (Khomas) to win the 16-17 boys 800m in 2:00.82 produced one of Saturday’s greatest races. The crowd got all excited as only split seconds cost Sakaria Uuyeni (//Kharas; 2:00.91) the gold.

Isaacs also won the 1500 in style (4:11.46).