From top athlete to street vendor

• By Tracy Tafirenyika and Michael Uugwanga

WELL-KNOWN Namibian long distance runner Sakaria Shifotoka is struggling to come to grips with his sad reality of becoming a street vendor at China Town after being a successful athlete for more than 15 years.

The veteran 39-year-old runner who is now staying on the outskirts of Windhoek in the informal settlement of Goreangab, in his heydays won numerous competitions in Namibia as well as in neighbouring Botswana.

After falling on hard times, Shifotoka is currently a full-time vendor trying to make ends meet through selling soft drinks, juice and water, as he keeps his athletics hopes alive in training daily.

In an exclusive interview with Confidente, Shifotoka this week highlighted the main reasons on how he ended up as a street vendor stating that it was due to lack of funds as well as Covid-19 that ravaged his sports career.

 

Read the full story in this week’s edition.