Namasiku shines in Aberdeen
Swimming
The teenager has made a promising start to her Paralympic swimming journey.
Namasiku van der Linden, a 16-year-old para swimmer from Windhoek, recently competed in the Citi Para Swimming World Series event in Aberdeen, Scotland. Under the guidance of the designated team leader and coach Eline van der Linden, Namasiku participated in various races to test her skills and see how she would fare in a foreign competition setting.
After the successful completion of her classification process, Namasiku was placed in the S14 class for athletes with intellectual challenges.
She went on to make the youth finals in the 200m freestyle and 100m butterfly events, earning promising early points totals on the IPC rankings.
In the 200 freestyle youth finals, Namasiku demonstrated her determination by shaving off significant time from her previous best.
Clocking in at 3:44.80, she surpassed her own expectations and showed that she had the potential to compete at a high level.
For the 100 butterfly, she improved her personal best in the qualifying event, but was not able to do so again in the finals, recording a time of 1:56.96.
While Namasiku may not have stood on the podium during the competition, her achievements were undoubtedly commendable.
By participating in the Citi Para Swimming World Series, she not only gained valuable experience, but also earned points for the IPC rankings.
Namasiku’s performance in Aberdeen was impressive and her selection for S14 classification was well-deserved.
Her achievements marked the beginning of exciting possibilities for her Para swimming journey and opened doors for further regional and international competitions.
With the support of her coach and team, Namasiku is poised to continue her growth and development as a Para swimmer, with the potential to achieve even greater success in the years to come.
Eline expressed Namasiku’s journey in Para swimming is a testament to her passion for the sport and her unwavering commitment to excellence.
As a young athlete, she showcased her potential on the global stage and has left a lasting impression on those who witnessed her performances in Aberdeen.