Desert Flames face green and gold in semi-final

AUSC Region 5 Youth Games
Hosts Namibia has climbed to the overall second spot behind South Africa on the medals standings of ten nations.
  • 1 Day Ago 10 July 2025
Namibia’s netball clash against South Africa at the semi-final stage could be a main attraction of the AUSC Region Five Youth Games schedule in Windhoek for Thursday.

Namibia’s Desert Flames and South Africa are set to meet at 17:30 at the Windhoek Showgrounds Plaza today to decide the first team to enter the sought-after final.

The second semi-final will follow immediately afterwards at 19:00 between Malawi and Zimbabwe.

The Namibian team beat Botswana convincingly on Monday by a 56-17 margin, but fell just short (41-45) against Zimbabwe the next day.

Meanwhile, the South Africans opened with a 92-14 domination against Eswatini, before the green and gold also beat Malawi 48-28.

Zambia secured the fifth-place finish yesterday with two big wins, against Eswatini (85-14) and Botswana (75-19).



ATHLETICS

Some of the Paralympic athletes were among the achievers for Namibia in the Youth Games’ track and field athletics programme at The Dome Stadium in Swakopmund.

Some big finals should give spectators real entertainment during the last day of the competition today (Thursday).

Visually impaired sprinter Ndapewa Iipinge took gold in the T12 class 100 metres final, winning comfortably (14.64) ahead of Lebona Liteboho of Botswana (15.10) and Vimbasihe Nkomo of Zimbabwe.

In the T11 (visually impaired) class’ 100 metres boys final, Namibia took gold and silver thanks to Job Haindongo (winner in 12.30) and Manfred Kapapa (12.90), while Angola’s Pedro Cassinda settled for bronze in 13.00.

Aina Gottfried was one of the first medal winners for the host nation, in the Special Olympics long jump. Her best effort of 3.80 metres was just one centimetre behind the winner, Mogomotsi Tlamelo of Botswana (3.81), while Xoliswa Mara took the bronze for South Africa (3.54).

Gottfried later added another bronze in the 100 metres (14.25 seconds), behind a pair of Malawians led by gold medal winner Nancy Verani (13.56).

Karla Terblanche won a bronze for Namibia in the girls’ javelin with a 35.05 metre throw, finishing behind Stephane Hook (RSA, 45.67 metres) and Alicia Machekera (Zimbabwe, 41.24).

In the youth men’s Special Olympics 100 metres, Uamburu Mohamed (12.21) and Matheus Shampa (13.03) were among the Namibian sprinters looking promising in the early rounds.

Paulinus Hainkela of Namibia finishing just outside the medals (fourth) in the Special Olympics long jump for men, with 4.90 metres as his best distance.



Impressive neighbours

Frederick Senekal of South Africa won the boys discus throw final with a 50.16 metre effort, ahead of Prosper Zimbeango (Zimbabwe) with 49.24 and Dewald Bezuidenhout (RSA) with 45.12.

The 1500 metres youth men final was won by De Villiers Lamprecht for South Africa in three minutes 55.60 seconds – almost three seconds ahead of his compatriot Michael Bekker (3:58:37).

Botswana had the upper hand in the 400 men’s final, where Junior Ntlhatlosang secured the gold in 47.80 seconds, followed by his compatriot Junior Gabonkgope in 47.92.

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