Namibia’s Olympic Paradox: Paralympic Dominance

Hey ta! Can we please talk about our teams at the Olympics, or rather the Paralympics, this year? Have you noticed that while our able-bodied athletes are busy chasing shadows and setting new records for mediocrity, our Paralympic heroes are consistently outshining them?

Ewah, this proves that sometimes it’s the underdog who reigns supreme. The point is that we heard so much about the Olympians in Paris and almost nothing about the other team. Or is it one team?

Remember Lahja Ishitile? Yes, she brought us gold and she is not the only one. We can’t ignore that our Paralympians have a history of bringing home medals, which proves that Namibia’s true sporting prowess lies in the extraordinary.

It’s almost like the universe is playing a prank on Namibia.

We’ve got athletes who could give a cheetah a run for its money, out-leap a giraffe and outswim a dolphin.

And yet we still come home empty-handed from international competitions. Meanwhile, our Paralympians are proving that with a little grit and a lot of heart, anything is possible.

But let’s be real. Our treatment of Paralympic athletes has been nothing short of shameful. They’re often seen as a burden, rather than the incredible athletes they are. To make things worse, we can’t just blame the government, but it appears that the officials themselves are unable to pull together.

Look at what happened in Paris with some of the officials stranded in Paris without funds to pay for accommodation.

Apparently some are being ‘economic’ with the facts, which means I also don’t know what I am talking about. But the fact remains that it stinks for the Paralympic team from the Land of the Brave.

It’s time to start recognising the incredible achievements of our Paralympic heroes as there is obviously nothing else coming from Paris 2024.

It’s time to invest in their training, equipment, coaches, guides and future. It’s time to show them the respect they deserve with real budgets behind it.

Because let’s face it, our Paralympic athletes are the real heroes, but it feels like we only see them when they win, while the other team gets attention just for appearing at the stadium.

They’re the ones who are putting Namibia on the world map and inspiring us all. So, let’s celebrate them, let’s support them and let’s make sure they know just how much we appreciate them.

I suggest that when they get home, they should be escorted straight to Katutura for a massive kapana feast, with Oros and big fluffy fat cakes.

After all, who needs Olympic gold when you’ve got Paralympic greatness? Imagine a world in which our Olympic athletes were so bad that they were disqualified for being too slow.

Of course it’s a ridiculous thought. Let’s just leave it to your imagination to complete the absurdity.

Better yet, we should send our Olympic team to the Paralympics just to see if they can actually win a medal. Or maybe we should just start training our Paralympians for the Olympics, and they might just surprise us.

And, yes, while we’re at it, let’s give our Paralympic heroes the recognition they truly deserve. We could build them statues, name streets after them and even offer them their own reality TV show.

After all, they’re the ones who are bringing home the gold, silver and bronze. Look, we are not going to completely ignore the other team, but simply be putting the energy where it belongs.

Let’s raise a glass to our Paralympic champions. They’re the real deal, the heroes of Namibian sport. They deserve our full support.

I remember being a child, glued to the TV, cheering for our Namibian athletes at the Olympics.

I was pumped to see them compete on the world stage.

But year after year, an NBC sport presenter would always say something like “they really gave it their all”. They would repeat it so much as if to convince themselves since they are only reading a script.

Then I started paying attention to the Paralympics, and, let me tell you, it was a game changer.

Our Paralympic athletes were dominating, winning medals and making our country proud. It was like a breath of fresh air.

I realised then that true heroes aren’t always the fastest or the strongest.

Sometimes they’re the ones who overcome challenges and prove that anything is possible.