Personality of the week – From curiosity to representation
For Namibian para-archer Saimi Shilunga, a few videos on social media sparked a journey that has already taken her to the international stage and inspired her to dream of competing at the 2028 Paralympic Games. Born and raised in Windhoek, Shilunga attended Martti Ahtisaari Primary School before completing her secondary education at Hage Geingob High... The post Personality of the week – From curiosity to representation appeared first on New Era .
For Namibian para-archer Saimi Shilunga, a few videos on social media sparked a journey that has already taken her to the international stage and inspired her to dream of competing at the 2028 Paralympic Games.
Born and raised in Windhoek, Shilunga attended Martti Ahtisaari Primary School before completing her secondary education at Hage Geingob High School.
Her introduction to archery came long before she ever held a bow.
Watching videos on her mother’s Facebook account of archers from Atlantis Archery Club, particularly Katelynn Venter and Jan-Lotz du Toit, sparked her interest in the sport.
She also followed the achievements of fellow Namibian archer Jacqueline Coetzee.
What began as curiosity soon became a personal ambition.
“I was always excited to see what they were doing. Over time, I became interested in learning more about the sport and other Namibian archers, including Jacqueline Coetzee. That curiosity eventually grew into a dream of becoming an archer myself,” she said.
Although she had wanted to try para-archery for a long time, she was unsure where to begin. Initially, reaching out to contacts in Walvis Bay, she changed course when she came across Challenged Athletes Namibia.
