A passion for athletics Karumendu revels in role as administrator The Omaruru-based regional sport officer is making waves with his efforts to develop sport in his area. HECTOR MAWONGAAthletics administrator Bethold Karumendu is a man on a mission.
He wants to see a great number of people participating in sport. As such it is not uncommon to see him at athletics events regardless of where they are hosted.
In fact, in the last three years, the likeable administrator has introduced several races and events in his jurisdiction as regional sport officer in the ministry of sport.
Among these events are the Omaruru Spar Cycle Challenge, Omaruru Road Mile and the Navachab Half-marathon, which is held in Karibib.
Complementing these efforts are development tournaments for cycling, which saw Karumendu bringing a team of ten young cyclists to the national championships, and tennis.
But what drives this former athlete to have such passion for sport?
Karumendu says he was attracted to sport from a very young age.
He explains that his passion was developed during holidays at Aminuis, a village in the Omaheke Region.
“As a young man I was a hunter during every holiday there,” he said.
“Where I grew up, I used to go hunting and that meant I did a lot of walking.”
Because of his regular walks, he was soon recruited to take part in running events.
“I used to play for the primary school football team at 12 and 13 years old and at the same time I was running the 800m and 1500m. That was in 1988 and 1989.
“It was at that level where I started taking an interest in middle- and long-distance running.”
High school soon beckoned for the young sport enthusiast and there Karumendu added the 3000m to his racing repertoire.
“My favourite race was 3 000 metres and 5 000 metres… because I had more endurance than speed,” he recalls.
What would follow was a number of accolades as the athlete attracted the attention of the national selectors.
“I represented Namibia at school level at the Sasolburg Games in 1993 in South Africa and the same year in the 5000 metres at the African Senior Championship in Durban.
“I also represented Namibia at the first Africa Junior Championships in Algiers in 1994 in the 10 000 metres where I competed against Kenyans and Ethiopians.”
Karumendu was also one of the athletes that competed during the celebrations of the reincorporation of Walvis Bay into Namibia in 1994.
“We did a 10km relay run from Swakopmund to Walvis Bay. That event was arranged by the late John Pandeni, who was the governor of Khomas Region at the time,” Karumendu says, adding that he was in grade 12 at Ella Du Plessis during that time.
His other accolades included being part of Namibia’s team at the IAAF World Cross-Country Championships in Stellenbosch in 1996 and the IAAF World Cross-Country Championships in Turin, Italy, a year later.
He also competed at three (Confederation of University and College Sports Association) CUCSA Games and one World University Games in Sicily, Italy, in 1997.
“I just missed qualifying for the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games, but I am happy with what I have achieved,” he says.
After a good decade as one of Namibia’s top athletes, Karumendu retired from competitive running.
He says his transition from being an athlete to administrator was made easy by the environment he found at Orban Primary School.
“In 2001 I did my National Technical Officiating Course. From there I just moved on to the administration side but not coaching really, even though I am a level coach as well.”
As someone who has travelled the world as an athlete, Karumendu feels that he is in a good position to advise upcoming stars.
An important lesson he wishes to impart is discipline.
“They must have a vision of what they want to achieve and be committed to working hard.”
Looking to the future the administrator is positioning himself in line with Namibia’s development agenda.
“Our country has Vision 2030 and I want to be part of that vision regarding sport development,” he said.
“And I want to be remembered as a role model in sport administration in Namibia.”