Namibia’s next generation of sporting talent has set off for a historic date with destiny, as the first group of Team Namibia athletes departed Windhoek for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, where they will compete on the biggest youth sporting stage ever hosted on African soil.
The Games, scheduled for 31 October to 13 November, will see 12 Namibian athletes compete across seven sporting codes: athletics, beach volleyball, beach wrestling, boxing, cycling, swimming and triathlon.
The Namibian delegation comprises 23 members, led by chef de mission Maike Betts, a former Olympic rower. Swimmer Roselinda Matyayi has been named the country’s flag bearer. The Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) has released the athletes’ competition schedules, with beach volleyball pair Robert Sinclair and Rene Steinkopff set to launch Namibia’s campaign on Saturday in the men’s preliminary rounds, with their pool fixtures continuing on Sunday.
Swimming has the largest representation, with Madison Bergh, Roselinda Matyayi, Lorenzo Esterhuizen and Nathan Bock scheduled to compete in events from 1 to 6 November. Bergh will contest the women’s 400m freestyle, Matyayi the women’s 200m backstroke and Esterhuizen the men’s 100m butterfly on Sunday. Bock enters the pool on 2 November in the men’s 100m freestyle.
James Langford will represent Namibia in the men’s individual triathlon on 5 November. Beach Wrestler Lisias Shipopyeni will compete in the men’s 60kg category on 7 November, while cyclists Bianca Nell and Mike Baartman are scheduled for their respective road races on 8 November and individual time trials on 10 November.
Boxer Kalenga Abraham will begin his men’s 50kg campaign on 8 November. On the athletics track, Elkana Iileka will compete in the men’s 200m, with the semi-final and final scheduled for 10 November, should he progress.
Dakar 2026 is expected to bring together approximately 2,700 young athletes from more than 200 National Olympic Committees, with events taking place across Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
In a message shared on social media, the NNOC congratulated the selected athletes and encouraged them to embrace the opportunity to represent their country.
The Games offer Namibia’s young competitors valuable international experience while placing African sport at the centre of the Olympic movement.
As the team begins its journey, the message to the athletes is clear: compete with pride, seize the opportunity and fly the Namibian flag high.
Go well, Team Namibia!
By Rudi Bowe
