Namibian T11 sprinter, Ananias Shikongo and his guide Even Tjiuiju, were disqualified from the T11 100m (metre) race after violating rule 7.9.3 of World Para Athletics on Thursday night.
Shikongo’s goalfix running tether, which enables a visually impaired person to run safely alongside a sighted running guide, slipped off his hand just a metre before crossing the finish line, leading to the officials disqualifying him.
Rule 7.9.3 of World Para Athletics states that a guide must not release their athlete before the finish line.
In an interview with Nampa after the race, Tjiuiju said the tether slipped off Shikongo’s fingers and he tried by all means to prevent it but it was too late.
Shikongo and Tjiuiju ran a personal best of 10.98 seconds, which was supposed to be a new African record but due to their disqualification, that record doesn’t stand.
Greece’s sprinter Athanasios Ghavelas and his guide Sotirios Gkaragkanis won the race with a new world record of 10.82 seconds. Replacing the 10.88 seconds they set on Wednesday in round one of the T11 100m heats.
Timothee Adolphe of France and his guide Bruno Naprix took second place with a personal best of 10.90 seconds, while China’s Dongdong Di and his guide Jiageng Lian were promoted to third spot.
Namibia Paralympic Committee Secretary General, Michael Hamukwaya, said the 2020 Tokyo, Paralympic Games was a good run for Namibia.
“The road to Paris has started. We don’t have much time. We only have three years but with money we can bring more young stars to the team and hope for more medals in 2024,” said Hamukwaya.
He added that the current crop of athletes marketed the country well and that it was therefore time for corporate Namibia to come on board and back them as they start preparing for future championships.
“This group of old crops are still performing well but with funds and more young athletes in the team for Paris [so] we can do more. We would like to have more investment and that investment will never go to waste because Para-Sports is the best marketing tool for Namibian corporates,” Hamukwaya said.
Namibia’s participation at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games ended with two medals (silver and gold) won by Shikongo and Johannes Nambala respectively. Shikongo, Nambala and Lahja Ishitile we’re the three athletes who represented the country in track and field events at the competition.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency
