Namibian Gold

Paralympian Johanna Benson stormed across the finish line at last night’s Women’s T37-200 metre race, earning herself and Namibia the first gold medal in an Olympic event in history.

It was the first time that the national anthem rang through an Olympic athletics stadium to signal a new Namibian star’s rise to fame and glory.

Benson beat the rest of the athletes in her division with a record 29.26 seconds and with that time, firmly entrenched herself as Namibia’s golden girl and hero.

Benson also grabbed a silver medal on Sunday night when she came second in the T37/T38 100 metres women’s race.

Benson hails from Walvis Bay, and started off her athletic career by running alongside her mother, Baby Benson. Her mother proudly told a daily Namibian newspaper that her daughter’s disability never held the young woman back from living a full life.

And now, Namibia and the rest of the world, know this too.

(Photo sourced from http://www.london2012.com)