Namibia’s first Paralympic Games gold medallist, Johanna Benson, has joined the list of well-wishers for two of Namibia’s youngest athletes to ever represent the country at the Olympic Games.

Christine Mboma became the first Namibian female to win silverware at the Olympics when she won a silver medal in the 200-metre (m) sprint in a time of 21.81 seconds, which is the new national record and the World Under-20 record.

Fellow 18-year-old sprinter, Beatrice Masilingi finished sixth in the same 200m final with a personal best of 22.28 seconds.

In her message shared with Nampa on Thursday, Benson who became the first Paralympian athlete to win a gold medal for Namibia when she competed in the T37 200m sprint event at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London welcomed the athletes to her world.

“My little sister Mboma, welcome to my world, watching your race was like watching mine in London, you gave me butterflies during your race and congratulations, my little sister,” she said.

Benson added that Masilingi made her proud with her performance, because there are many athletes who did not make the semi-finals or finals of their event.

“Beatrice, you made it and remember three things in life, have faith, believe in yourself and be positive because you will always be my groot kat (big cat) and you will always be in my heart because I love you,” said Benson.

Masilingi and Mboma competed in the 200m final on Tuesday, with Mboma breaking the 25-year medal drought for Team Namibia at the Olympics. The last time Namibia won Olympic medals was in 1996 at the Atlanta Summer Olympic Games where Frank Fredericks won two silver medals, in the 100m and 200m.

Source: Namibia Press Agency