馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
Namibian gymnasts prepare for Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow
via The Namibian2 min read
Four Namibian gymnasts, Sureshni Andrew, Anne-Leen Thorburn, Jonie Thorburn, and Tyesha Humphries, are set to make their Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 3. They qualified for the event at the African Championships in Cameroon earlier this year. National head coach Petra Thorburn stated that the team was selected based on their performance and rank at the championships. Training was customized for each athlete, focusing on optimal performance and injury prevention. The team's officials have prior international experience, understanding the pressures involved. Regarding the decentralized athlete accommodation in Glasgow, Thorburn noted that the Namibia National Olympic Committee NNOC has ensured the best care for the athletes. To adapt to the northern European weather and arena conditions, the gymnasts received funding for a week of training in Azerbaijan before heading to Glasgow, which also helped them avoid cold weather in Namibia. The arena is equipped to optimize temperatures. The team aims to perform clean routines to reach the finals and is grateful for the support from their national federation, the NNOC, and the public. Thorburn expressed confidence in their preparation and a commitment to learning from any shortfalls. She also highlighted the long-term nature of gymnastics development, emphasizing patience and continuous national involvement in their goals and achievements.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Some members of the San community in Namibia claim they have been removed from the government鈥檚 Marginalised Communities Special Feeding Programme, which provides quarterly food parcels. The Otjozondjupa Regional Council confirmed this development last week. The program, initiated in 2005, was designed to support San, Ovatue, and Ovatjimba communities across several regions with food items like maize meal, beans, fish, beef, and cooking oil. Katrina Kazungu, 38, stated her food parcels were discontinued in 2018, leaving her, an unemployed mother of six, without a reliable food source. Belinda Garoes reported that her food aid was stopped about 18 months ago after she was informed she was not a member of the San community, despite registering for the program in 2023. Petronella Golo, Otjozondjupa region development planner, explained that a 2024 meeting resolved to remove non-marginalised communities and pensioners from the beneficiary list, as they were found to be benefiting from the program.
The Fishrot fraud, corruption, and racketeering case, which concerns the alleged unlawful allocation and use of Namibian fishing quotas, has been postponed to 19 October. Acting judge Marilize du Plessis postponed the case following an appearance by the 10 individuals charged in the matter at the High Court in Windhoek Correctional Facility. One of the accused, former attorney general and minister of justice Sacky Shanghala, informed Du Plessis that a decision is pending on his petition to the Supreme Court. This petition asks the Supreme Court to allow an appeal against a ruling where Du Plessis denied an application for her to recuse herself from the Fishrot case. Shanghala also stated that a date has been set for a pending civil application by him and some co-accused in the High Court. This application, in which Shanghala, James Hatuikulipi, Pius Mwatelulo, and Otneel Shuudifonya seek to halt their prosecution until their request for various other court orders is decided, is scheduled to be heard on 15 September.
Lewis Hamilton is set to compete in his 20th consecutive Belgian Grand Prix, seeking a victory for Ferrari that would match Michael Schumacher鈥檚 record of six wins at the event. This comes after Hamilton finished third at the British Grand Prix. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli currently leads the championship with 179 points, 25 points ahead of George Russell and 32 ahead of Hamilton. However, Antonelli has failed to score in two of his last three races, while Ferrari has shown strong form, securing wins for both drivers in their recent outings. Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff acknowledged reliability issues have cost them points. Antonelli had a difficult rookie season at Spa last year, qualifying 19th and finishing 16th, and also struggled at the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix before a triumphant win there this year. Hamilton, with Ferrari's improved straight-line speed, is expected to be a strong contender, alongside Max Verstappen, who aims for his fourth win at the circuit. Verstappen, whose mother is Belgian, will be looking to overcome recent car issues. McLaren, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, also seeks to perform well after a disappointing home race. Energy management will be crucial on the high-speed Spa circuit, known for its challenging weather conditions.