A three-day training camp was held in Windhoek, Namibia, from June 30 to July 2, 2025, bringing together 86 participants from 16 African countries. This camp was part of the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) “Sport for Mobility” program aimed at elevating Paralympic athletes, coaches, and technical officials to the highest levels.
Overview of the Camp
The camp provided comprehensive training opportunities in two sports: para-athletics and para-powerlifting, supported by the respective international federations.
Para-athletics segment: Focused on athlete development with training sessions covering track and field techniques, Paralympic movement values, and athlete leadership.
Coaching courses: Covered practical and theoretical aspects such as training planning, running mechanics, throwing principles, jumping techniques, communication, anti-doping, and coaching roles.
Technical officials courses: Included sport rules, ethics, risk management, equipment use, venue setup, competition regulations, weigh-ins, refereeing, event management, and lift challenges.
Highlights and Participant Feedback
Manfred Kapapa, a Namibian Paralympic athlete, shared that learning about the meaning of competition and athlete values was his favorite part. He appreciated training in the stadium and felt motivated to improve his performance.
Catherine Louise Sellers, para-athletics coaching instructor, praised the participants’ eagerness to learn and emphasized the importance of continuous education for coaches to keep up with new techniques, prosthetics, and equipment.
Aliou Mensari from Sierra Leone, who attended the para-powerlifting technical officials course, expressed his determination to return home as an ambassador to promote para-powerlifting and support underprivileged athletes.
Importance of Para-Powerlifting Development in Africa
Africa has two of the top five medal-winning countries in para-powerlifting at the Paris 2024 Games, demonstrating the continent’s talent in this sport. The camp’s technical officials training aims to expand the pool of qualified personnel to support para-powerlifting events across the region.
IPC Commitment and Future Plans
Christina Moloi, Senior Manager and IPC member, stated that the IPC is proud to offer transformative development programs like this camp as part of its commitment to empower over 200 member organizations worldwide. The camp is designed to build foundational success for long-term athlete development. Positive feedback from participants encourages the IPC to organize similar camps in America, Asia, and Oceania.
Previous Camps
Similar training camps have been held in Tokyo, Japan (2024) for Asian Paralympic committees and athletes, and in Guadalajara, Mexico (2023) for participants from the Americas.
