Christine Mboma: 18-year old Namibian sprinter wins BBC African Sports Personality of the Year

Rene Otinga

updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:53 PM

Mboma became the first Namibian athlete to clinch an Olympic medal
She beat the likes of Faith Kipyegon and Edouard Mendy to win the BBC African Sports Personality of the Year for 2021
She became only the second Namibian to win the award after Frankie Fredericks in 1993

Teenage Namibian sprinter Christine Mboma has been named the BBC African Sports Personality of the Year for 2021 in what is a remarkable feat for her for several reasons.

Mboma, 18, becomes the first woman ever to win the award in its lengthy history.

For the award, she was coming up against formidable names including Kenyan runners Eliud Kipchoge and Faith Kipyegon, South African para-athlete Ntando Mahlangu, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and South African swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker.

She becomes the second Namibian to win the award after another sprinter, sprinter Frankie Fredericks, won the award back in 1993.

Speaking on her feat, Mboma said, “I feel great and really proud to be a Namibian,"

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"I dedicate this BBC award to all Namibians. This is [a reward] for all the hard work I have done."

Mboma’s 2021

Mboma made history at the Tokyo Olympics when she won silver at the star-studded 200m final.

She was edged by Jamaican Elaine-Thompson Herah, but notably beat the likes of Shelly Anne Fraser Pryce and USA’s Gabriel Thomas.

This feat made her the first Namibian to win an Olympic medal.

Prior to the Olympics, Mboma was also a Diamond League champion and Under-20 gold medalist over 200m.

Mboma will be glad to be recognized with the award, especially after her achievements came under threat last year after she was barred from her favourite event – the 400m by World Athletics, who found her to have high levels of testosterone, which gives her an unfair advantage over her rivals.

"I felt disappointed but I did not give up," she says of the time,” she said at the time.

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"I didn't expect [the rest of 2021 would go so well] after what happened but I am really proud of myself for all the achievements I have done. It was very difficult.”