By Helen Fillemon
Sport is an activity that involves physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against each other for entertainment and keeping fit. When sports is taken solemnly it can transform someone’s life, in most cases, sport codes do not require qualifications, however it requires hard work and dedication.
Namibia’s sports fraternity has proven evident that sports can modify one’s life in an instant for example our very own soccer player star Peter Shalulile, his career started at Tura Magic Namibia where he made it up to the Namibian National soccer team (Brave worries). Shalulile’s climb to fame is due to his hardworking and dedicated nature, he is currently playing as a striker for South African Premier Division Mamelodi Sundowns as well as Namibia’s National team.
In addition to his accolades Shalulile was voted as the best player in South Africa last year, as he has become the fastest player to reach 50 goals for Mamelodi Sundown in the PSL, doing so in just 80 games. Shalulile was awarded the Debmarine Namibia professional star award in the diaspora at the MTC annual sports awards. Peter Shalulile makes a decent living as a football player, his current Mamelodi sundown salary is R400 000 per month this proves that sport can uplift an athlete’s living standard. Christine Mboma who took up athletics in 2017 Namibia’s very owned sprinter who by 2019 won the 800 and 1500 meters race in Manzini, Eswatini, ever since this win she has been breaking records all over the world. Mboma won a silver medal in the 200 metres at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first-ever Namibian woman to win a women’s Olympic medal and breaking the world’s under-20 and African senior record.
Mboma is living her best life through Athletics, she is able to change the situation at home and provide financial assistance to her siblings as well as her extended family members.
In conclusion, Shalulile and Mboma’s lifestyles have changed through sports, as they continue breaking records globally. These two sportsmen made it to the top it is not always easy and it does not mean that people who are on top did not encounter setbacks and this serves as great motivation for the Namibian child. The right path to athletic success is based on these valuable attributes, follow the right procedures, set your goals, train regularly and do exercise almost every day to increase your speed. Failure will eventually be part of the equation remain focused pick up yourself and proceed. It is important to look up to those who are your role models, be motivated, and set a target in order to reach your goals by devoting yourself to the game there is no turning back you will make it. We need to maintain a culture of hard work because through hard work everyone can accomplish their goals.