Namibia name four swimmers for 2026 junior open water worlds

Namibia has selected a four-swimmer team for the 2026 World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships. The event will be held in Santa Fe, Argentina, from 3 to 6 September.

Alex Marggraff, Riley Bergh, Madison Bergh and Tristan Nell will represent Namibia, with Jörn Diekmann travelling as coach and Angelika Diekmann serving as team manager. Marggraff and Nell will race in the 18-19 age group’s 10km event, while Madison Bergh will enter the 16-17 category over 7.5km. Riley Bergh will compete in the 14-15 age group’s 5km race.

Madison Bergh, Marggraff and Nell are also entered in the 3km knockout races. The additional events will give the trio further opportunities to compete against swimmers from other countries during the championships.

The team has followed a demanding preparation programme ahead of the trip. Training has included sessions covering between eight and nine kilometres, with the swimmers completing about eight sessions each week over the past few months.

Coach Diekmann has set a cautious initial target for the group. He expects the swimmers to establish themselves around the middle of their respective fields before trying to improve their positions as the races develop.

The championships will be another international test for Madison Bergh, who has already competed at previous world championships. That experience has helped prepare her for another appearance on the global junior stage, and she is aiming to finish among the top 20 in Argentina.

A top-20 result would carry wider significance for Namibia’s junior open water programme. No Namibian swimmer has previously reached that position at the championships, leaving Bergh with the chance to set a new national benchmark while competing in the 7.5km race and 3km knockout rounds.