Rower Maike Diekmann will today officially get Namibia’s campaign underway at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when rowers hit the waters in the women’s single sculls heats.

Depending on her performance today, Diekmann could be back in action tomorrow in the single sculls heats repêchage, where the best-placed rowers who failed to win heats will compete for a place in the semi-finals.

Also tomorrow, cyclists Tristan de Lange – who replaced veteran cyclist Dan Craven who withdrew from the games due to a positive Covid-19 test – will be in action in the men’s road race on the Fuji International Speedway.

On Sunday, cyclist Vera Looser (neé Adrian) will be in action in the women’s road race when she battles against 66 of the world’s top cyclists from countries such as The Netherlands, Australia, Germany, Italy and the USA on the same course as the men.

In total, Namibia will be represented by 11 athletes, seven coaches, two mechanics (for the bicycles), one doctor, one physiotherapist and three officials. The other athletes are boxer Jonas Jonas, sprinters Beatrice Masilingi and Christine Mboma, marathon runners Helalia Johannes and Rainhold Tomas, swimmer Phillip Seidler and mountain bikers Alex Miller and Michelle Vorster.

Namibia made her debut at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain and has featured at every Olympic Games since. In total, Namibia has won a total of four medals at all editions of the games - all silver medals won by Frank Fredericks in athletics.

- ohembapu@nepc.com.na