Masilingi ready for Gaborone Meet
Namibia’s sprint sensation Beatrice Masilingi is fully recovered and will be in full flight at the upcoming Gaborone International Meet, which takes place on 30 April in Botswana, her coach Henk Botha has confirmed.
The Tokyo Olympics star suffered an injury during their US tour, where she and teammate Christine Mboma competed at the Little Rock Twilight Track and Field Meet a few weeks ago.
The injury, which Botha could not specify at the time, saw her missing out on the 100m and 200m events.
But in a recent chat with this publication, Botha said Masilingi received great medical attention upon their arrival back home from the US, and has since been well on the mend.
The coach further shared that the sprinter is expected to be in action at this month’s much-anticipated Gaborone International Meet.
“Yes, she will compete at the International Meet in Gaborone. She has recovered well and has been doing well. We have had a couple of training sessions, and one can see that she is doing quite well,” he said.
The two sprinters, Masilingi and Mboma, will be looking to continue their tremendous streak in Botswana, where they will be joined by a horde of local and international athletes.
Upcoming local middle-distance runner David Dam is also eyeing the Gaborone International Meet, where he plans to clock the qualifying time for this Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, UK.
Dam’s coach and renowned sports officer Berthold Karumendu said these types of competitions are crucial for upcoming athletes such as Dam, who are still testing themselves at that level.
“It’s an important competition for young athletes, especially those who are still trying to make a name for themselves. The fact that this kind of competition can push you to work above your limits and pressure you to do more is what makes them very vital,” he said.
The Gaborone International Meet is a World Athletics-recognised event that enjoys bronze status.
The event also enjoys prominence on the Confederation of Athletics in Africa (CAA) calendar.
The competition started 13 years ago as the Sports View International Meet but was rebranded in 2016.
It has three categories: premium, classic and promotional. Namibia’s travelling team:
Men
Ernst Narib Gilbert Hainuka Onesmus Nekundi Ivan-Danny Geldenhuys Mahmad Bock Andre Retief Warren Goreseb Hatango Murere Arno Angula David David Daniel Paulus Paulus Simon Sandro Diergaardt Chenoult Coetzee Roger Haitenge Ryan William
Women
Christine Mboma Beatrice Masilingi Johanna Ludgerus
Anè Rautenbach Tuanè Silver
Nandi Vass
Frieda Iithete Innocent Haingura Saara Shikongo Tuuliki Angala Ndawana Haitembu Carien Oosthuizen
- mkambukwe@nepc.com.na