NASFED National Short Course Championship breaks records
Namibia’s swimming talent shone on the national stage last week as the 2025 Bank Windhoek Namibia Swimming Federation (NASFED) National Open Short Course Championship concluded in spectacular style at The Cube in Swakopmund.Held from 24 to 28 September, the five-day event welcomed 226 athletes from seven Namibian clubs, along with three guest teams from South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Swimmers competed in 2,245 event entries – a new record for the championship.
The competition got off to a thrilling start, with eight national records broken on the opening day alone. Rising stars continued to impress throughout the week, rewriting the national record books across multiple age groups.
Standout performances included Oliver Durand, who set new national and open records in the 100m Individual Medley (55.92), 100m Butterfly (53.31), and 200m Freestyle (1:47.74) in the 17–18 age category. Luke Beukes also excelled, breaking records in the 100m Freestyle (49.26), 50m Butterfly (24.70), and 50m Freestyle (22.39).
Among the female swimmers, Madison Bergh delivered exceptional performances, setting records in the 1 500m Freestyle (17:30.36) and 800m Freestyle (9:16.71), along with a strong showing in the 200m Freestyle (2:07.82). Vitoria de Sousa dominated the 13–14 age group, breaking records in the 400m Freestyle (4:30.18) and 200m IM (2:22.86). In the youngest category, Patrick Durand (12 and under) claimed age-group records in the 800m and 1 500m Freestyle events.
The Masters category was also on display, with Ruth Hornickel and Dentie Louw setting new NASFED Masters records, proving that swimming excellence spans generations.
Relay teams make waves
Relay events added extra excitement, with teams setting impressive times and new national records. Highlights included the Girls 15–16 200m IM Relay team – Madison Bergh, Rosalinda Matyayi, Gizelle Slinger, and Candice Rey – clocking 2:07.66. The Boys 17–18 team of Rodney Feris, Lorenzo Esterhuizen, Nathan Bock, and Luke Beukes finished in 1:33.59. In total, five relay teams set new NAM-SC national records in the 200m Freestyle Relay.
The Ludorum awards showcased the best of the championship. In the Junior Victrix Ludorum category, Madison Bergh claimed top honours with 3 843 points, followed closely by Vitoria de Sousa (3 667 points) and Rosalinda Matyayi (3 500 points). In the Junior Victor Ludorum category, Patrick Durand topped the podium with 218 points, while the senior division saw Oliver Durand dominate with 4 422 points, ahead of Josè Canjulo (4,171) and Luke Beukes (4 099).
Historic King’s Baton Relay
A special moment of the championship was the King’s Baton Ceremony. Namibian cycling legend Dan Craven passed the Baton to Namasiku van der Linden, who handed it to Ulrike Leitner, Roze van Wyk, Josè Canjulo, and Maja Brinkmann.
The baton, uniquely decorated for each Commonwealth nation, symbolises national identity and pride ahead of the Glasgow 2026 Games.
Namibia’s swimmers are not only making waves at home but also on the global stage, with standout performances at the Junior Africa Championships in Egypt, World Juniors in Romania, World Championships in Singapore, the Independence Games in Angola, and the African School Games in Algeria. The country also retained its title as Africa Aquatics Zone IV Champions for the third consecutive year.
NASFED Public Relations Officer Carol-Anne Esterhuizen thanked Bank Windhoek for its ongoing support, noting that the championship demonstrated the depth of talent and commitment to swimming excellence in Namibia.
“As the final races ended and the cheers subsided, the 2025 Bank Windhoek NASFED Short Course Championship closed as a powerful statement of Namibia’s swimming excellence and the promise of even greater achievements to come,” Esterhuizen concluded.