Gaseb storms past Mahmad Bock’s 400 record
Athletics
Track and field coach Henk Botha says he is impressed by Gaseb's "phenomenal" time under the circumstances.
The 22-year-old sprinter Elvis Gaseb achieved a significant landmark when he eclipsed the Namibian national record in the 400 metres in Harare last Saturday.The Dome Athletics Academy runner overcame the effects of an arduous overnight bus trip from Windhoek, arriving in the Zimbabwean capital only during the morning of the competition, to produce the most impressive achievement of the Namibian contingent at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Southern Region Championship.
Despite finishing his 400 race in second position, Gaseb sped to a time of 45.73 seconds – which will become the new national record, pending ratification.
The national men’s 400-metres record has stood behind the name of Mahmad Bock, who ran 45.80 seconds at the Gaborone International Meet in Botswana in May 2022, to eclipse the longstanding mark of 46.14 that Daniel Haitembu had held for more than forty years since 1980.
Gaseb’s previous personal best over the one-lap distance was the 45.90 seconds he ran in August last year in Tilburg, Netherlands.
Gaseb is the reigning Namibian 400 champion, having won the 2024 national championship title in Windhoek with a time of 45.97 ahead of Elton Hoeseb (46.65) in April last year.
It is hoped that Gaseb’s rivalry with other nationally-recognised sprinters like Hoeseb (QSB AC, age 22), Magano Naseb (Oceans, 18), Charley Matundu (Unam, 22), Ivan Danny Geldenhuys (23), André Retief (22) and other emerging youngsters can fuel a renewed period of success for Namibian male speedsters.
Other medal winners
Renowned track and field coach Henk Botha yesterday said he is impressed by Gaseb’s “phenomenal” time under the circumstances – with other Namibian sprinters including Beatrice Masilingi and Christine Mboma fading during their events and reporting a lack of energy following the long road trip to Zimbabwe.
Competing in the 200 metres, Masilingi ran 23.9 seconds, while Mboma slowed down after the turn when she felt a hamstring muscle.
Tuuliki Angala (NCS, age 25), the reigning national champion in the 400 and 800, won the gold medal in her 800m race in Harare, although her time of 2 minutes 12.07 seconds was almost two seconds behind her personal best (2:10.28).
Jade Nangula (Unam) returned home with two silver medals at the CAA Southern Region championship. The 27-year-old’s time in the 100 metres was 11.82, while she improved her personal best in the 200 metres to 23.66 seconds – faster than when she won her first national championship 200 title with 24.36 in April 2023.
Frieda Ithete (NCS) also claimed two silver medals. However, her best effort in the triple jump (12.06) was below par in comparison to her national record (12.30 metres in April last year), and her long jump distance of 5.69 is not competitive by African continental standards.
Another gold medal winner for the Namibia Correctional Services athletics club was Asser Nalukaku, who won the men’s 1500m race in 3:54.66.
• Athletics Namibia recently announced that its 2025 senior national track and field championship has been rescheduled to be held on 29 and 30 August in Windhoek.