Namibia’s emerging swimming talent took centre stage at the NASFED/Bank Windhoek Short Course Gala 4, which concluded on Saturday, 15 August, after three days of competitive action at the Windhoek Swimming Pool.
Held from 13 to 15 August, the gala brought together swimmers from Khomas, Erongo and //Karas, competing across junior, youth, senior and Masters categories. The event provided an important platform for athletes to test their progress, gain valuable racing experience and pursue qualifying standards.
The standout performer was 17-year-old Madison Bergh of Marlins Aquatic Club, who delivered a record-breaking display in the freestyle events.
Bergh won the 400m Freestyle in an impressive 4:29.11, breaking the National Open Female Record while also establishing a new Girls 17–18 age-group record. She followed that performance with another outstanding swim in the 800m Freestyle, clocking 9:19.79 to set a new Girls 17–18 record.
The gala also produced strong performances from several clubs, with Dolphins Swimming Club emerging as one of the leading performers across the three days.
In the Girls’ 200m Butterfly, Dolphins swimmers Ainoa Naukosho and Vitoria De Sousa, both 15, produced an exciting finish, recording 2:31.15 and 2:31.44 respectively. Their teammate Sandra Schnebel also finished strongly, highlighting the club’s depth in the event. Marlins’ Roze Van Wyk added to her club’s success with a gold medal in her age category.
Dolphins continued their dominance in the Boys’ 200m Butterfly, with Oelof Badenhorst and Patrick Durand, both 12, leading their respective field. In the older division, Aqua Swimming and Fitness Club’s Lorenzo Esterhuizen won in 2:07.67, finishing ahead of teammate Luke Beukes.
The breaststroke events also delivered competitive racing. Daneé Mostert of Flippers Swimming Club won the Girls’ 50m Breaststroke for the 13–14 age group in 36.54 seconds, narrowly edging Van Wyk. In the senior women’s category, Dolphins’ Trisha Mutumbulua claimed victory in 36.65 seconds.
In the men’s 400m Freestyle, Aqua’s Luke Beukes produced a strong 4:18.41 to lead his field.
Despite several swimmers being affected by seasonal flu during the weekend, organisers described the overall outcome as highly positive.
NASFED congratulated all participating swimmers and expressed appreciation to coaches, officials, volunteers, parents and supporters who contributed to the successful gala.
Special recognition was also given to Bank Windhoek, the main sponsor of the Short Course Gala, for its continued support of swimming and the development of Namibian athletes.
With records broken and promising performances recorded across the three regions, the gala provided further evidence of the growing depth and competitiveness of swimming in Namibia. Attention now turns to the upcoming national championships, where the country’s leading swimmers will aim to build on their performances and raise the bar even higher.
By Rudi Bowe
