Namibian athletes in record-breaking mood abroad

FOUR new national athletics records were set over the weekend as a number of Namibia’s elite athletes abroad started the new season promisingly.

The records are “a positive sign this early in the season” as the athletes gear up for tougher competitions between May and August.

In Jamaica, the quartet of Tjipekapora Herunga, Globine Mayova, Keshia Kalomo and Lelanie Klaasman broke the national record for the women’s 4x100m relay.

Competing during a rainy Milo Western Relays meeting in the tourist city of Montego Bay on Saturday, they lowered the previous mark that Mayova, Herunga, Stefi Van Wyk and Merlyn Diamond set in May 2012 in South Africa from 46,49 to 45,53.

The Namibian team finished fourth in a race won by the MVP Track Club world class assemble of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson, Carrie Russel and Shaniqua Ferguson in a meeting record time of 43,31.

The Namibian male 4x100m team of Gilbert Hainuca, Hitjivirue Kaanjuka, Jesse Uri-khob and Adiel Van Wyk also ended fourth, clocking 40,34, as MVP Track Club completed the double by winning in 38,89.

However the same men’s quartet returned later in the day to set a new national record of one minute and 25,06 seconds in the 4x200m relay in which they finished second to eventual winners GC Foster College who won in 1:23.42.

The 4x400m women’s team of Tjipekapora Herunga, Lilanie Klaasman, Globine Mayova and Mberihonga Kandovazu, who are also the current record holders in the distance, ended fifth in 3:47,74.

Meanwhile, sprinter Keshia Kalomo, affectionately known as the ‘Super Mini’, clocked 6,57 seconds to improve the 60m national record during the Queens Grace Jackson track meet in Kingston, Jamaica. The old mark stood at 6,64 and was set by Mayova in March 2012 at the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

Sprinter Jesse Uri-khob posted 10,28 to win the men’s 100m during the JAAA Puma Jamalco meet in Clarendon, Jamaica with Adiel van Wyk clocking 10,52 in the same race.

At the same meeting, Mayova came second in the women’s 100m race with a time of 11,81.

“I am encouraged by the early season form and the athletes are working hard to achieve the short and long term goals we have set. It is always encouraging to always see when athletes set national records, personal bests and season’s bests as that is an indication that they are moving in the right direction,” athletics coach Letu Hamhola.

Also on Saturday, triple jumper Roger Haitengi set a new national record of 16,78 during the UJ Athletics and Nkwalu Invitational to improve his previous mark of 16,74 set in Windhoek during the Athletics Senior Championships in April 2010. The new distance brings him closer to the qualifying standard of 16,85 for the Olympics.

The coach said they were keen to build on the current performances which come on the back of positive end to 2015 when Herunga and Klaasman won bronze medals in the women’s 400m and 400m hurdles, while the men’s 4x100m team won a silver medal at the All Africa Games where eight national records were broken.

Namibia also participated in the Iaaf World Relay Championships in the Bahamas for first time last year.

“Despite these positive strides however it seems that many (critics) are trying hard to prove that nobody has qualified for the Olympics in Rio, I would have assumed that a phone call of encouragement would be best,” Hamhola said.

“Tjipe (Herunga) is an Olympic semi-finalist, Roger and Jesse are edging closer and so will many other athletes, however we must realise Namibia in the world’s eye has no ‘superstars’ and it will take time and a positive attitude and a programme such as this. We will continue working hard to improve our times before the dead-line of July 11 which is around the corner.”