Nasfed team dominates Zone 4 championship
Swimming
Namibia has once again proven its strength by claiming its third consecutive title at the XXI Africa Aquatics Zone IV pool swimming championship, and finishing second in the open water competition. The championships were held over four action-packed days in Eswatini, with the pool swimming competition held from last Wednesday to Saturday and the open water swimming competition on Sunday.
With 12 countries competing in the pool, Namibia stood out as the dominant force, showcasing its depth of talent and unshakable team spirit. Namibia’s combined total of 2 254.5 points (male and female) outpointed South Africa (2 021), Zimbabwe (1 703), Botswana (1 321) and Seychelles (1 229.5).
The Namibia Aquatic Sports Federation (Nasfed) is proud of its team of 23 swimmers, led by management team coach Adriaan Maritz and team managers Tarryn McNamara and Zimone Maritz.
Their combined efforts culminated in a stunning overall team performance in the pool, cementing Namibia\'s reign at the top of Zone IV pool swimming.
One highlight of the pool competition was the nail-biting 4x100m freestyle relay, where Nathan Bock, Rodney Feris, Corné le Roux and Oliver Durand claimed gold in a thrilling finish against perennial rivals South Africa.
Individually, Oliver Durand delivered a standout performance throughout the competition, breaking multiple championship records and earning the prestigious victor ludorum trophy for the men’s 17-19 age group.
On the girls’ side, Vitoria De Sousa was a strong contender for the girls 13-14 trophy, also breaking several championship records before an unfortunate shoulder injury forced her to withdraw from her final three events. Despite this setback, her contributions significantly boosted the team\'s medal tally.
Namibia concluded the pool swimming competition with a total of 83 medals, a remarkable feat that not only secured their place at the top of the podium but also underscored their rising dominance in regional swimming.
Namibia’s hat-trick of triumphs in the pool competition at the Africa Aquatics Zone IV Championships reflects the unwavering commitment of its swimmers, coaches and support staff, and sets a powerful tone for the nation\'s aquatic ambitions on the continental stage.
Sunday
The open water competition which took place Sunday also showed outstanding performances from the Namibians, who finished second overall in the team standings after South Africa.
In the 5 km men’s event (19 and older), Nico Esslinger claimed gold, with Arkell Wellman securing bronze in the same category.
In the 16-18 age group, Oliver Durand earned gold, while Tristan Nell brought home bronze.
Riley Bergh took third place in the 1 km race for boys 14–15years.
Brynne Kinnaird swam an excellent race in the 5 km women’s race (16–18), finishing second.
Scarlett McNamara (age 13) won gold in the 1 km event for her age group.
Nora Schlabitz claimed third place in the 1 km (girls 16–18)
“Open water swimming is a brutal test of fitness and endurance and our swimmers performed exceptional! We are extremely proud of the team,” Nasfed stated.