Two peas in a pod

Two peas in a pod LIMBA MUPETAMI

WINDHOEK

The track and field landscape in Namibia is changing with two young athletes, Beatrice Masilingi and Christine Mboma, fast emerging as Namibia’s next best thing.

On Tuesday afternoon, Masilingi ran a personal best and set a record of 22,59 seconds in the 200-metre race at the ASA Athletix Invitational meeting at Ruimsig Athletics Stadium in Roodepoort Johannesburg.

Her record beats the Olympics qualifying time of 22,80 seconds in a competition. The competition featured a world-class 200m line-up comprising top stars from neighbouring South Africa and Botswana, with the likes of Wayde van Niekerk, Akani Simbine and Anaso Jobodwana competing.

South Africa’s Sherley Nekhubyi (23,29) came second and Justine Palframan (23,52) third. Masilingi said she enjoyed the race and will continue to work hard.

Mboma, the bomb

On the other hand, her training partner, Mboma, won the women’s 400m at the recent Oshakati Grand Prix in a time of 50,97 seconds, beating the Olympic qualifying time of 51.35 seconds.

Their participation in the upcoming July to August Tokyo Olympic Games was confirmed by the secretary-general of the Namibia National Olympic Committee Joan Smith.

Smith said Masilingi has been confirmed for the 400m competition and that they are waiting from World Athletics for confirmation regarding Mboma’s participation.

“The two will also participate in another Olympic qualifier event in Lusaka in mid-April,” Smith said.

Mboma has so far won the 400m race in Nairobi, Kenya last October, setting a 50,99-second record. In December she again set a national record of 50,42 seconds in Pretoria, South Africa.

Mboma is right on Masilingi’s heel and continues to break her own records. Last December, in South Africa, she set a personal record of 51,57 seconds and continues to use local athletics’ events to raise the bar. At the Swakopmund Grand prix she ran a time of 51.59 seconds. Recently, in Oshakati, at the same series, she ran a time of 50,97.

Both athletes are 17-years old and coached by Henk Botha.