NamibiaSport

Johanna Benson won Namibia’s first medal at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, when she finished third in the final of the Women’s 100m T37 race for disabled athletes on Thursday.

Benson clinched the bronze medal after finishing third in a time of 14,81 seconds. Katrina Hart of England won the gold medal with a time of 14,36, while Jenny McLoughlin of Wales won the silver medal in a time of 14,68 seconds.

Benson’s success at the Commonwealth Games caps a great year during which she excelled on the African continent.

She burst onto the scene when she won three gold medals at the South African Nedbank National Championships for the Physically Disabled in Port Elizabeth in March this year.

She won the 100m in 15,89 seconds, the 200m in 31,91 seconds and the long jump in 3,10m.

With these performances she managed to qualify for the 2011 World Championships, while she went on to test herself against the continent’s best at the African Championships in Casablanca, Morocco in June. Here she once again excelled, winning three more gold medals in the 100m, 200m and long jump events.

In August, Benson competed against eight other African countries at the Great Lakes IPC Championships where she once again won three gold medals. She won the 100m in 15,38 seconds, the 200m in a new African record of 30,73 seconds and the Long Jump in a new African record of 3,71m.

Namibian boxer Jafet Uutoni got off to a great start with a comprehensive first round victory against Lui Magaiva of Papua New Guinea.

Competing in the 48kg light flyweight category, Uutoni dominated the fight from the start to run out a comfortable 13-3 winner on points over three rounds. He won the first round 6-1, the second round 5-1 and the third round 3-1.

Johannes Simon however suffered a big defeat in the 52kg flyweight category as he lost 11-1 to Oteng Oteng from Botswana.

Namibia had mixed results in bowls, recording two victories in six matches.
Namibia’s Women’s Trips team of Bea Lampbrecht, Charlotte Morland and Lesley Vermeulen provided stiff competition before losing to both Australia and New Zealand on a tiebreak. Against New Zealand, Namibia won the first set 8-7, but New Zealand clinched the second set 11-10 before winning the tiebreak 5-0.

Against Australia, Namibia won the first set 10-9, but Australia won the second set 6-5, before taking the tiebreak 4-2.

Namibia’s Women’s Pairs team of Diana Viljoen and Theuna Grobler were also unlucky to lose on a tiebreak to India. Namibia won the first set 9-4, but India won the second 13-8 before taking the tiebreak 3-2.

Namibia’s Men’s Pairs team of Willie Esterhuizen senior and Jean Viljoen staged a great comeback to beat England on a tiebreak. England won the first set 14-0, but Namibia came back strongly to take the second set 11-3 and the tiebreak 2-1.

amibia were however soundly beaten 2-0 by New Zealand (15-7, 14-4).
Namibia’s Men’s Trips team of Graham Snyman, Will Esterhuizen junior and Steven Peake beat Malta 2-0 (11-4, 12-6).