Namibia at the 2019 World Athletics Championships

Namibia competed at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, from 27 September to 6 October 2019. The country's participation there marked its fifteenth appearance in the World Championships since its debut at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics. Namibia sent two athletes to the Championships, both of whom competed in the marathon events. Helalia Johannes became Namibia's first female medallist, and their first medallist in 26 years, when she won a bronze medal in the women's marathon. Tomas Hilifa Rainhold finished in 17th in the men's marathon.

Namibia at the 2019 World Athletics Championships
WA code	NAM
in Doha, Qatar 27 September 2019 (2019-09-27) – 6 October 2019 (2019-10-06)
Competitors	2 in 2 events
Medals Ranked 31st	Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 1 Total 1
World Athletics Championships appearances
1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2022 2023

Background

Namibia first competed in the World Athletics Championships (then known as the World Championships in Athletics) in 1991, and have taken part in every Championships since. During that period two athletes won five medals for the country. Their most recent medal had come during the 1997 Championships.^[1] To qualify for the World Championships, athletes had to meet the standards set by the IAAF (now known as World Athletics). In most disciplines, these criteria were more difficult to achieve than they had been for the 2017 Championships.^[2] Two athletes represented Namibia at the 2019 Championships: Tomas Hilifa Rainhold in the men's marathon and Helalia Johannes in the women's marathon.^[3] Rainhold qualified for the Championships courtesy of completing the Hamburg Marathon in 2:14:14,^[4] 1 minute and 46 seconds within the required standard of 2:16:00.^[2] Johannes, who was the reigning Commonwealth champion after winning the 2018 marathon had set a new Namibia national record in March 2019, running 2:22:25 to win the Nagoya Women's Marathon,^[3] well within the required 2:37:00.^[2] The two athletes were accompanied by their coach Robert Kaxuxuena.^[5]

Medallists

Medallists^[6]

Medal	Name	Event	Date
Bronze	Helalia Johannes	Women's marathon	27 September

Results

 

Helalia Johannes became Namibia's first female medalist at the World Athletics Championships

Johannes, taking part in her fourth World Championships,^[7] raced in the women's marathon on the opening night of the Championships.^[8] Due to the hot conditions expected in Doha, the race started just before midnight.^[9] In the IAAF's preview of the race, Johannes was considered "one to watch" by the sports writer Mike Rowbottom, particularly because her Commonwealth Games victory the previous year had been in temperatures of around 27 °C (81 °F).^[10] Despite the midnight start, temperatures in Doha were higher than expected, at 32.7 °C (90.9 °F) and 73 per cent humidity.^[11] Johannes was part of a leading pack that broke away around 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) into the race,^[12] and she stayed with the leaders until there was around 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) of the race remaining, at which stage Ruth Chepng'etich and Rose Chelimo moved away from her. Johannes held onto third place, and finished in 2:34:15, around 30 seconds behind Chelimo and over a minute ahead of Edna Kiplagat in fourth. She became the first female medallist for Namibia at the World Championships.^[13]

Rainhold was making his debut at the World Championships.^[14] Competing in the men's marathon, which was also held just before midnight, Rainhold ran what the Namibian Sun described as "a good race". He completed the race in 2:14:38, and finished in 17th place.^[15] Namibia's solitary bronze medal saw them finish joint 31st on the Championships medal table.^[16]

Men

Track and road events

Athlete	Event	Final
		Result	Rank
Tomas Hilifa Rainhold	Marathon	2:14:38	17

Women

Track and road events

Athlete	Event	Final
		Result	Rank
Helalia Johannes	Marathon	2:34:15

References

1. Butler, Mark, ed. (2019). IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019: Statistics Handbook (PDF). IAAF. p. 564.
2. "IAAF announces qualifying standards for Doha 2019 World Championships". Athletics Weekly. 4 December 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
3. "Johannes takes on the world's best". The Namibian. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
4. "Rainhold Thomas Qualifies for the World Championships in the Marathon". Athletics Namibia. 1 May 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
5. "Namibia among a few African countries to get medals at the athletics World Championships in Doha". Athletics Namibia. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
6. "Namibia: IAAF World Athletics Championships, Doha 2019". World Athletics. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
7. Barclay, Simon (2020). 17th World Athletics Championships – Doha 2019: Complete Results & Athlete Reference. Silverthorn Press. p. 133. ISBN 978-0-244-86063-9.
8. "Timetable by day: IAAF World Athletics Championships, Doha 2019". World Athletics. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
9. Kelly, Madeleine (8 January 2019). "The World Championship marathon will be held at midnight". Canadian Running. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
10. Rowbottom, Mike (23 September 2019). "Preview: women's marathon - IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019". World Athletics. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
11. "World Athletic Championships: Chepngetich wins women's marathon". Al Jazeera. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
12. Chowdhury, Saj (28 September 2019). "World Athletics Championships: Ruth Chepngetich wins women's marathon as heat takes toll". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
13. Schütz, Helge (30 September 2019). "Johannes makes history in Doha". The Namibian. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
14. Barclay, Simon (2020). 17th World Athletics Championships – Doha 2019: Complete Results & Athlete Reference. Silverthorn Press. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-244-86063-9.
15. "Tomas finishes 17th at world champs". Namibian Sun. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
16. "Medal Table: IAAF World Athletics Championships, Doha 2019". World Athletics. Retrieved 22 June 2020.