Three of Namibia’s top long-distance runners are gearing up to compete against some of the continent’s finest athletes at the prestigious Nelson Mandela Bay Half-Marathon in Gqeberha, South Africa (SA), this Saturday.
The three-member squad includes defending women’s champion Lavinia Haitope, alongside Simon Mathias and Elton Hiskia, who both won their respective categories at the 2025 QKR Navachab Half-Marathon. The athletes were officially sent off earlier this week ahead of their journey to the Eastern Cape Province.
Navachab race organiser Berthold Karumendu highlighted that sending the athletes to SA is a strategic move to develop local sports.
“The trip is about more than simply competing in another event,” Karumendu said. “It represents an investment in the future of Namibian athletics and an opportunity for local runners to test themselves against elite competition from across the continent.”
The Nelson Mandela Bay Half-Marathon is widely regarded as one of SA’s premier road-running events. Because it also serves as the SA national championship race, the Namibian contingent can expect an exceptionally competitive field on Saturday.
–ChannelAfrica–
