Otjiwarongo — Namibia’s Paralympics gold medallist Johanna Benson says she will soon start training intensely for the next Paralympic Games in Brazil in 2016. She said this in an interview with Nampa shortly after she received N$10 000 from Theo’s Superspar in Otjiwarongo on Friday morning.
Benson was in Otjiwarongo on invitation by the owner of the Theo’s Superspar, Theo Bortslap.
She was accompanied by her mother, Adelheid Benson, and received a hero’s welcome as she entered Otjiwarongo via the western bridge from the direction of Swakopmund.
A sizeable convoy of vehicles led by the traffic controllers of the Otjiwarongo municipality drove her around town, concluding the drive through town at the Superspar where she was welcomed by children and a number of people with physical challenges.
After the celebrations at the supermarket, Benson said in the interview that her three coaches – Sakaria Tsauseb, Mike Amukwaya and Barbara Fernandez – had indicated that she would soon start her preparations for the next Paralympic Games.
She said she intended to use her unit trust investment at Old Mutual for her training.
“That’s what I intend to use my money for, so that when the year 2016 comes, I am fit and ready enough to bring more medals to my country.”
Borstlap praised the young athlete for winning two medals at the 2012 Paralympic Games.
He said the 22-year-old Benson made all Namibians proud, hence his decision to present her with N$10 000 on behalf of his customers.
Benson brought home two medals from the 2012 London Paralympics Games – a gold medal for winning the 200m T37 sprint, and a silver medal for the T37 100m.
She returned to her hometown of Walvis Bay on Friday.
Nampa
Copyright © 2012 The Namibian. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.