Ester MbatheraÂ
Paraplegic sport has made a monumental leap forward because athletes in para-athletics in field events can now receive a national classification with full confidence and credibility.
This development comes after coach Naomi Schmidt and Marieke Mocke, the physiotherapist of the national team and the national classifier Boccia Namibia, were officially certified last week as national athletics classifiers.
Schmidt and Mocke certification refers to a key moment for para-sport in Namibia because it seizes local coaches, clubs and regional associated entities to classify their athletes in the country.
This eliminates the need for athletes to travel abroad for classification, reduces costs and logistics challenges, and promotes greater inclusivity and availability for para-athletes across the country.
Their certification was made possible through the cooperation of key stakeholders, including the South African Sports Confederation and the Olympic Committee (SASCOC), the African Athletics Confederation (CAA), the National Olympic Committee (NNOC), the Namibian National Paralympic Committee (NNPC), and African Paralympic Committee (AFPC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
These organisations provided the platform and support necessary to increase the para-sport in Namibia to the next level.
