This is my last Olympics - Johannes
Welwitschias in a make or break encounter
After competing in Beijing in 2008, London in 2012 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016, veteran longdistance runner Helalia Johannes says the 2020 Olympic Games will be her last Olympics’ participation.
Johannes, who turns 41 this August, is among 11 athletes who will represent Namibia at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 23 July to 8 August 2021.
She told New Era she trains twice a day with three other runners, including Tomas Rainhold, who will be heading to the Olympics for the first time.
“My preparations for the Olympics started years back and I can say my preparations are going well,” said Johannes, who holds the Namibian records in the 10km, 20km, half marathon, and marathon events.
She placed 40th in the Beijing Games in 2008, 11th in the London Games in 2012, and 56th in the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016.
“This year, I would like to go and perform better than my previous performances at the Olympics. I want to work hard and improve on my previous records. I think I had prepared well and enough,” said Johannes.
She is the reigning 2018 Commonwealth Games champion, and she won bronze at the World Championships in 2019 in Doha, Qatar.
Johannes also won bronze at the Military World Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2011.
Her personal best in the marathon is 2:19:52, achieved in Valencia, Spain, in 2020.
Joahannes, however, said competing at four Olympics competitions is “huge” for her, and she will see how her body responds to training and competing in the various other competitions.
The battle line has been drawn – and today, Namibia’s senior rugby team, the Welwitschias, take on Madagascar in a make or break 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifier encounter in Abidjan.
Namibia, ranked 25th in the world, got off to a shaky start in their Africa Gold Cup (AGC) campaign, going down 24-13 to Ivory Coast on Saturday.
They must now beat Madagascar, ranked 52nd in the world, as a defeat would mean failure to qualify for the world rugby showpiece for the first time since their maiden appearance in 1999.
Only the top two sides from each of the four pools will make it through to the next phase of qualification in 2022.
Namibia have beaten the island nation twice before in Rugby World Cup qualifiers: 89-10 in 2014 and 112-0 in 2002.
Local rugby pundits, however, said the Welwitchias can achieve their grand mission of qualifying for the World Cup, but only if they stick to the right game plan.
Grootfontein Rugby Club chairperson and coach, Wikus Jacobs, said chances of winning against Madagascar are high if the right game plan will be put in place.
“I believe their chances are huge. Looking at the current crop of players who were called for duty, most of them are experienced and have played at that level before. If right mind and strategy will be applied, I believe a much-needed win will prevail,” he said.
He further said the defeat against the host nation, Ivory
Coast, was an eye-opener for the team to ensure they take a different approach in today’s encounter.
Rehoboth Rugby Club head coach Johann Wohler said the team has a good chance of redeeming themselves against Madagascar, given the quality the current squad boasts.
He said this will require various tough changes from coach Allister Coetzee to change the game.
“The chances of beating Madagascar is huge. Namibia has a great team with depth, although they did not show it in their previous match. Now that it is a must-win game for Namibia, I am sure they will go out there and give their best.