The eyes of a Para-athlete

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa Many honours and recognitions go to the Para-athletes who win top awards, but guides are mostly behind these successes as they are the ones responsible for leading the athletes to victory. Paralympics guide David Ndeilenga is no different from those guides, and is passionate about what he does to help others. Ndeilenga serves as the eyes for those who can't see and extra legs for those who can't run as fast. “Being a guide is one of the most amazing things to do because we run alongside the athletes who are visually impaired and we get the chance to help them. “The best part of it is that I have managed to see the world because we have been to many places. “It is not easy but once you perfect it, you can actually help those who are visually impaired to run without any worries,” Ndeilenga said. Born on 15 May 1990, Ndeilenga has always been passionate about athletics. He lived in the north of the country for most of his childhood, but moved to Windhoek to pursue his studies. As an athlete, Ndeilenga was successful at national level but never went beyond that to compete at regional competitions and world championships.“My passion for athletics developed while I was in school, but I never managed to partake in major competitions outside the country. “That is why I decided to become a guide in 2013 in order to help those who are unable to see well on the track.” Ndeilenga guided Lahja Ishitile to a Commonwealth bronze medal in 2014. He has also been part of Ishitile's many other success stories, including a silver at the 2016 Grand Prix in Germany. He also guides talented Para-athlete Bernardo 'The Bullet' Immanuel. “All we hope for now is that Lahja Ishitile can qualify for the 2020 Paralympics Games. “We hope that she will be able to get more events to enable her to reach to the Games.“As a guide, it has been a privilege running alongside her because she always brings her A game.”

The eyes of a Para-athlete

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Republikein 2025-04-02

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The eyes of a Para-athlete

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