Damian Muller became the second Namibian to capture an International Mixed Martial Arts (IMMAF) continental title after winning the gold medal in the 2023 Africa Championships’ senior men’s flyweight division in Luanda, Angola, on Sunday night.
After overcoming Angola’s Mafuana Mbungo via unanimous decision, Muller joined Veja Hinda, who claimed the featherweight gold in 2022, on the list of African champions from the Land of the Brave.
Unfortunately, Hinda was unable to become a two-time champion, after he failed to beat Angolan Clelio Diogo and came short on the judges’ scorecards, which meant he had to settle for silver this time around.
A third Namibian, Geraldo Bok, brought home the featherweight bronze.
“Unfortunately, due to him being matched up at the last minute with Veja Hinda, he decided to forfeit the fight and not compete against his fellow teammate and training partner. That took a whole lot of courage to make such a tough decision,” said their coach Carlos de Sousa.
“We are proud of all our boys!! They have represented our country with so much honour and strength,” De Sousa said.
The host nation dominated the medal count, claiming 21 medals in total – 10 gold, six silver and five bronze.
Namibia’s three medals earned them second position overall, with the Democratic Republic of Congo coming third after collecting three silver and two bronze medals.
Completing the medal table are Algeria who earned one bronze.
The Namibian fighters now have their eyes set on competing at the 2023 IMMAF World Championships, which were recently announced.
The final IMMAF event of the year is set to take place in Albania, and will have fans from all across the globe tuning in to watch the proving ground ‘Where Stars Are Born’.
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