Benson still warming the track

• Athlete not finished yet
The darling of Namibian Paralympics, Johanna Benson, says she is not hanging up her spikes anytime soon.
  • 9 Months Ago 14 August 2023
Namibian para-athlete Johanna Benson (33) says she still has a lot to give the track and does not plan to slow down anytime soon.

The T37 long jump and sprint athlete, who lives in Walvis Bay, said she will continue running until her legs tell her to stop.

Benson was the first para-athlete to scoop medals for Namibia.

She won two medals at the London Summer Paralympics: in the 100m (silver) and 200m (gold).

She said winning these medals for the country was a very exciting moment that will forever be etched in her memory.

After winning gold, the medal was presented to her by Frankie Fredericks, her idol.

She reminisced about the moment, remembering how the national anthem was playing in the stadium at the time.

"I was very proud of myself."

On her arrival back home, she was given N$170 000 in cash for the medals, a house in Walvis Bay and a diplomatic passport by the Namibian government.

She was also gifted money from private individuals, institutions and organisations.

Furthermore, she was offered free training and physiotherapy for the next four years by an agency in her home town.

‘Just kept going’

Benson became involved in athletics at a very young age.

"I started at a young age in primary school."

But it was only at Kuisebmund School that she was introduced to para-athletics.

"My mother was very afraid that I might hurt myself. She thought that I might fall and injure myself. But I just kept going. I always thought of what Fredericks achieved, and that motivated me."

Apart from working from 08:00 to 16:00 at Hangana Sea Food each week as a human resources assistant and training until 18:00, Benson views herself as an ordinary citizen.

"I spend my free time with my family," she said.

Global prestige

Prior to her two medals, Benson's first major international event took place in 2010, when she represented Namibia at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. She claimed the bronze medal in the 100 m (T37).

At the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, Benson won two bronze medals in the 100 and 200 metre races. A year later, she competed at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. In the long jump, she managed a personal best distance of 3.82m to take the bronze medal.

At the 2015 African Games in Brazzaville, she won gold in the T37 100m sprint. She also collected a third World Championship medal by winning a bronze at the 2015 Championships in Doha in the 200m (T37).

In 2012, Benson was nominated for the Laureus World Sports Award for sportsperson of the year with a disability.