Backyard Ultra World Team Championships 2024

Namibia Secures Golden Ticket to the Backyard Ultra World Championships in Tennessee, USA

19 October 2024

Team Namibia has officially claimed a coveted Golden Ticket to the Backyard Ultra World Championships in Tennessee, USA, following their impressive performance at the Backyard Ultra World Team Championships hosted at Gecko Ridge Lodge. Competing alongside 63 countries in real-time, Namibia’s top endurance athletes displayed immense grit, teamwork, and dedication to secure a place among the top 50 teams worldwide.

The Backyard Ultra is a unique format where runners must complete a 6.7 km loop on the hour, every
hour until only one runner remains. The event, which began at 2 pm in Namibia to coincide with the
start time of the original race in Bellbuckle, Tennessee, saw Namibia’s finest ultra-runners pushing their
limits to outperform the competition and earn their spot on the world stage. The current world record,
set by Harvey Lewis in October 2023, stands at 108 laps (over 720 km), a feat that continues to inspire
runners worldwide.

Team Namibia’s Standout Performance. Leading the charge was André Ross, who completed an
outstanding 26 laps, securing the win for Namibia. Close behind, Erich Goeieman finished with 25 laps,
and Martin Kalwenya powered through with 24 laps. Their combined strength and determination were
key to Namibia’s success, along with the efforts of all 15 team members, each contributing to the team’s
overall ranking. Team Namibia finished 3rd in the Small Countries Sub-Competition at the Backyard Ultra World Team Championships with a total of 239 laps, just behind Guatemala with 258 laps and Uruguay with 245 laps. An incredible effort from our team and all our supporters!

A special mention goes to 10 of Namibia’s runners, who all surpassed 100 km by completing at least 15 laps. Eamon Roberts, Naude Dreyer, and Danielle Zimney completed 16 laps, showcasing their strength and determination in this demanding format.

This victory not only gives Namibia the Golden Ticket to compete at the prestigious Backyard Ultra
World Championships in Tennessee, USA, but also sets a new country record, surpassing the previous
Namibian benchmark of 22 laps set by André Ross.

A Unified Team Effort. While this was a solo endurance challenge for each runner, it was truly a team effort. Every lap completed by every member contributed to Namibia’s overall ranking, ensuring that the country finished among the top 50 teams. This achievement was supported by the entire Namibian running community, as supporters came out in person, followed the live feed online, or sent messages of encouragement throughout the event. The atmosphere was electric as runners received support from near and far, fueling their motivation to push through the gruelling loops.

Acknowledging Our Sponsors and Supporters. This remarkable feat would not have been possible without the incredible backing of our sponsors. RMB Namibia, the event’s presenting partner and main sponsor, has supported Namibian endurance running events for many years, and their continued commitment has played a significant role in the success of this team. Their generous sponsorship ensured the team had everything they needed to compete at the highest level. We also extend our thanks to Bannerman Mining Resources and Rössing Uranium for their contributions, and to Two Beards for keeping our runners and supporters energised with much-appreciated coffee. Special recognition goes to Gecko Ridge Lodge for hosting the event and providing the ideal setting for this challenging race on the scenic Swakop River Plots.

Supporting Conservation. In line with our long-standing commitment to conservation, 10% of the
sponsorships were donated towards the five conservation NGOs supported by Namibia Ultra Trails:
🐘 Save the Rhino Trust Namibia
🌊 Ocean Conservation Namibia
🦁 Desert Lion Conservation
🦊 The Skeleton Coast Brown Hyena Project
🦔 Pangolin Conservation and Research Foundation
These organisations are key to protecting Namibia’s unique wildlife and natural heritage, and we are proud to support their efforts.