The 2025 Bank Windhoek Namibia Swimming Federation (NASFED) National Open Short Course Championship concluded in spectacular style after five days of elite-level competition, remarkable national pride, and a celebration of sporting excellence at The Cube in Swakopmund. Held from 24 to 28 September, this year's event welcomed 226 athletes from seven Namibian clubs and three guest teams from South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. They competed across 2,245 event entries, a new record.
The competition intensified, as eight national records fell on day one alone. The trend continued through the week, as Namibia's rising stars stunned the crowd with performances that rewrote the national record books.
Championship highlights
Oliver Durand smashed national and open records in the 100m Individual Medley (IM) (55.92), 100m Butterfly (53.31), and 200m Freestyle (1:47.74) in the 17–18 category. Luke Beukes broke the 17–18 records in the 100m Freestyle (49.26), 50m Butterfly (24.70), and 50m Freestyle (22.39).
Madison Bergh set new national records in the 1,500m Freestyle (17:30.36) and 800m Freestyle (9:16.71), along with a powerful swim in the 200m Freestyle (2:07.82). Vitoria De Sousa dominated in the 13–14 age group with record-breaking performances in the 400m Freestyle (4:30.18) and 200m IM (2:22.86). Patrick Durand (12 and Under) delivered age group records in the 1,500m and 800m Freestyle events.
In the Masters category, Ruth Hornickel and Dentie Louw set new NASFED Masters records, proving that swimming excellence spans generations.
Relay record highlights
The pool was alive with energy as the teams lined up for the 200m Freestyle Relay. Ainoa Naukosho powered through the water, earning 138 points for her team. Roze Van Wyk followed with a strong performance, scoring 159 points, while Vitoria De Sousa led the pack with an impressive 208 points.
The spotlight shifted to the Junior Victrix Ludorum contenders as the cheers echoed. Riley Bergh gave it his all, finishing with 130 points. Jeremy Musati pushed ahead to 154 points, but Patrick Durand claimed the top spot with 218 points.
The Junior Victor Ludorum category was fiercely contested. Rosalinda Matyayi stunned the crowd with 3,500 points, only to be outdone by Vitoria De Sousa with 3,667 points. Yet, the ultimate champion was Madison Bergh, who soared to 3,843 points.
In the senior division, the competition intensified. Luke Beukes swam with determination, earning 4,099 points. Josè Canjulo edged ahead with 4,171 points, but Oliver Durand emerged victorious, setting a new standard with 4,422 points. The Ludorum Awards ceremony was a celebration of the best of the best.
The Girls 15–16 200m IM Relay team, Madison Bergh, Rosalinda Matyayi, Gizelle Slinger, and Candice Rey, set a remarkable time of 2:07.66. The Boys 17–18 team, Rodney Feris, Lorenzo Esterhuizen, Nathan Bock, and Luke Beukes, blazed through the water in 1:33.59.
Other relay teams made their mark as well. The Girls 15–16 team finished in 1:55.84, the Girls 13–14 team in 1:57.78, and the youngest competitors, the Girls 9–10 team, completed their relay in 2:20.93.
Five relay teams set new NAM-SC national records in the 200m Freestyle Relay, making this event a valid showcase of talent, teamwork, and record-breaking achievement.
The King’s Baton Relay
The event featured a historic moment with the King’s Baton Ceremony, as Namibian cycling legend Dan Craven passed the Baton to Namasiku van der Linden, who handed it on to Ulrike Leitner, Roze van Wyk, Josè Canjulo, and Maja Brinkmann. This marks the first time that each Commonwealth nation and territory receives its own uniquely decorated Baton ahead of the Glasgow 2026 Games, reflecting the identity and culture of its people.
NASFED’s Public Relations Officer, Carol-Anne Esterhuizen, expressed the Federation’s deepest gratitude to Bank Windhoek for its continued investment in Namibian swimming.
Namibia on the Global Stage
Namibia’s swimmers continue to shine internationally with standout performances at: Junior Africa Championships (Egypt), World Juniors (Romania), World Championships (Singapore), Independence Games (Angola), African School Games (Algeria).
Namibia also retained its title as Africa Aquatics Zone IV Champions for the third consecutive year. “As the final races ended and the cheers subsided, the 2025 Bank Windhoek NASFED Short Course Championship closed as a powerful statement of Namibia’s swimming excellence and the promise of even greater things,” concluded Esterhuizen.
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