Namibia eyes 2026 Youth Olympics rowing berth 

The Namibian Canoeing and Rowing Federation (NCRF) is confident that the country will be part of the 2026 Youth Olympics roster.

The NCRF is motivated by its failure to honor international commitments in 2024, after missing the World Rowing Championships and the African Rowing Championships “due to financial constraints”.

But this year looks promising, with NCRF president Mike Haimbodi optimistic about rejoining the international scene.

“Those were the lowest points in 2024. However, this year will be different because we have now approached potential sponsors and we are certainly confident that they (sponsors) will be considerate and assist where possible,” Haimbodi told Desert FM in a recent interview.

“This year we will focus on the new discipline known as ‘ocean canoeing’ that will be part of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.”

Haimbodi also said the potential sponsors will support a number of domestic competitions, including the national championshipship planned to be held in April, where the national team will be selected.

This team will then prepare for the Youth Olympic Games next year.

“We are waiting for the current financial year to come to an end. We are hopeful and confident to select a competitive national team who will compete in different national competitions,” Haimbondi said.

Haimbodi also said the federation will be focussing on beach sprint rowing, a type of coastal rowing which takes place on the ocean, sea, or a large lake. The competitors start and finish on dry land, sprinting down the sand and into the water. They then row a short distance as fast as possible and finally sprint back up the beach to the finish line.

It will be an Olympic sport for the first time in 2028, at the Los Angeles games, where Namibia plans to send a larger and more diverse contingent.

In the coastal rowing disciplines, athletes compete over six to eight kilometers. Coastal rowing uses wider, flatter boats to handle offshore waves. The format emphasises quick acceleration and powerful strokes.

The 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal hold particular significance as the first Olympic competition hosted on African soil. The games, which will feature 151 events across 25 disciplines, will be staged in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.

The Coastal Beach Sprints format will take place with an athlete quota of 64 (32 men and 32 women) and will be staged with several other water and beach sports at the Saly Beach venue.

With the confirmed event programme and athlete quota, World Rowing is now working closely with the IOC to prepare the qualification pathway for rowing. This will be finalised by March 2025, following ongoing consultation. The first qualification opportunity is expected to at the 2025 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

World Rowing has embarked on an ambitious, global growth strategy for the discipline, underpinned by increased investments across geographies and participation in high-profile multi-sport events. That global growth strategy will continue with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.