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Namibia: Nairobi World Championships Delayed

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4 years ago

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Namibians will have to wait another day to see their emerging stars on the track at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships, which the organisers delayed by 24 hours due to Covid-19 disrupting logistics.

The competition was due to start today in Nairobi, Kenya, but will now begin tomorrow and finish on Sunday.

World Athletics yesterday on its website said the impact of Covid-19 on teams travelling, and the logistics of moving vital equipment around the world have proven to be a challenge.

“However, the full athletics programme is able to be accommodated across five days rather than five-and-a-half days, with minimal impact on the athletes attending from more than 100 countries,” World Athletics said.

Beatrice Masilingi is expected to go first in the women’s 100m heats, which will take place at 08h35.

Her main challengers are from the Caribbean islands.

The semi-finals will take place at 15h10.

Flag bearer Elvis Gaseb is up second for Namibia in the men’s 100m heats at 09h20.

The men’s semis are scheduled for 15h40.

The finals for both categories are the concluding items on Thursday’s timetable.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Christine Mboma gets her campaign for a first global title underway on the third day of the competition in the women’s 200m.

The 18-year-old turbo goes in the heats at 10h00 on Friday. The semis are set for 15h40 on the same day.

Athletics Namibia (AN) on Sunday said Masilingi and Mboma can handle their hectic schedule and increased public scrutiny following the Olympic exploits.

The essence of the youth championship is to keep testing themselves while having fun, AN said.

“We are excited and are looking forward to the WAU20 in Nairobi. We believe we have a competitive team,” the sport body said.

“We don’t give the athletes specific targets. All we ask and expect of them is to give their best. If Christine and Beatrice could cope with Olympic pressure, we are confident they will handle the WAU20 pressure.”

The globetrotting pair, who spearheads Namibia’s 4 x 100 relay team, are tentatively pencilled in for at least two races on the European circuit after their East African adventure.