The Collective launches to develop Namibian athletics talent

The Collective, a new athletics development platform, has been launched to create a structured ecosystem for nurturing talent and improving performance standards among Namibian athletes. Founder Hanjo de Klerk stated that the platform is a dual-tier ecosystem designed to connect elite coaching, data-driven performance, and national visibility to promising athletes. De Klerk described it as the first attempt to build a centralized, professionally managed ecosystem for the sport in Namibia, integrating coaching, athlete development, performance data, nutrition, and competitive exposure. Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture Dino Ballotti expressed full support for the initiative, urging its expansion to Vision 2037 and emphasizing equal treatment for all athletes, regardless of their financial means. The Collective has partnered with renowned coaches such as Letu Hamhola, Karina Theunissen, Christine van der Linde, Wynand Dreyer, and Leonie van Rensburg. Five athletes have been selected as the initial beneficiaries: Ruana de Carvalho sprinter, Luca van Wyk hurdle, 100m, Cristo van Rooyen hurdles, Aleka Potgieter javelin, shot put, and Alexandra Scheepers long jump, high jump. De Klerk explained that the platform addresses a fragmented athletics landscape that lacked centralized management and professional frameworks. The Collective operates through a three-tier model, with the prime collective tier catering to elite athletes who receive struct