Benson misses out on medal at World Champs

Namibia’s T37, female sprinter Johanna Benson on Tuesday missed out on a medal after finishing seventh in the T37 100 meters (m) final at the World Para Athletics Championships underway in Kobe, Japan.
The 2024 World Para Athletics Championships are being held at the Universiade Memorial Stadium in that country, with 11 para-athletes and seven guides representing Namibia.
Benson qualified for the final of the T37 100m on Monday after coming third in heat two with a time of 14.68 seconds, but however finished sixth on Tuesday, in the final with a seasonal best time of 14.56 seconds. Wen Xiaoyan of China won the race setting a new record of 12.27 seconds.
American sprinter Taylor Swanson finished second with a new personal best of 12.86 seconds, while Jiang Fenfen of China took the last podium place with a seasonal best of 13.26 seconds.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Namibia’s T12 female sprinter Lahja Ipinge and her guide Paulus Filippus were disqualified during heats two of the T12 400m for infringing rule R19.4.
The rule stipulates that in races for athletes in Sports Class T11 and T12 competing with a guide-runner, the athlete must reach the nearer edge of the finish line in front of the guide-runner, or the athlete will be disqualified.
During their heat, Filippus crossed the line before Ipinge, leading to their disqualification.
After four days of competition at the World Para Athletics Championships, Team Namibia is ranked 25th on the medal standings with two medals. Chris Kinda and his guide Kelvin Goagoseb won gold in the T11 400m, while female sprinter Lahja Ishitile and her guide Sem Shimanda secured a bronze in the women’s T11 400m.
China leads the medal standings with 40 medals (15 gold, 12 silver, and 13 bronze), followed by Brazil in second place with 21 medals (13 gold, five silver, and three bronze), and Great Britain in third place with six medals (four gold, one silver, and one bronze).
Tunisia is the highest-ranked African team in fifth position with nine medals (three gold, three bronze, and three silver), while Algeria completes the top five positions with six medals (three gold, one silver, and two bronze).
(NAMPA)
HK/EK

(NAMPA)