Namibia’s T11 athlete, Ananias Shikongo qualified to the semi-finals of the 100 metre (m) race after finishing second in heat four at the Dubai Club for People of Determination on Tuesday. Shikongo and 12 other Namibian athletes are competing in the 2019 International Paralympic Committee’s World Para Athletics Championships underway in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Shikongo, who missed out on a final spot during the T11 400m on Sunday, brought his A-game on Tuesday morning as he ran a season best of 11.43 seconds to finish second behind Lucas Prado of Brazil, who ran the fastest time of 11.15 seconds. This was also Prado’s seasonal best as well as the fastest time that was recorded in all the four T11 100m heats in the morning. Meanwhile, Namibian young star Alfredo ‘The Bullet’ Bernardo and his guide Sydney Kamuaruuma missed out on a spot in the semi-finals after finishing third in heat two of the T11 100m. Bernardo ran a personal best of 11.87 seconds in a heat that was won by French athlete Timothee Adolphe and his guide Bruno Naprix with a seasonal best of 11.21 seconds. Speaking to Nampa after the race, Bernardo said it was always his dream to run under 12 seconds. “I feel proud that I ran 11.87 seconds, this shows that I must continue working hard so I can compete at the same level as these elite athletes,” he said. Shikongo told this agency that the heats were just the start as hard times are still ahead in this race and he is looking forward to making the finals. “I am happy I made the semi-finals but I need to be more focused for the big guns in the semi-finals as well as improve on my seasonal best, maybe with a time of 11.20 seconds and then in the final go for that medal,” he said. Shikongo and his guide Even Tjivu will compete in the semi-finals of the men’s T11 100m heats on Tuesday evening. Lahja Ishitile and her guide Kamuaruuma will also compete in the T11 200m heats during the evening sessions on Tuesday night.