Johanna Benson
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Namibian |
| Born |
17 February 1990 Walvis Bay, Namibia |
| Height | 165 cm (5 ft 5 in) |
| Sport | |
| Country | Namibia |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Disability class | T37 |
| Event(s) | Sprint Long jump |
| Club | Welwitschia Paralympic Sport Club |
| Coached by | Michael Hamukwaya |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Paralympic finals |
2012 London 2016 Rio de Janeiro |
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Medal record
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Johanna Benson (born 17 February 1990) is a Paralympian athlete from Walvis Bay, Namibia. She competes in T37 long jump and sprint events and at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London she won the women's 200 metres race in her classification. Her 200 metres success in London made her the first Paralympic gold medalist in Namibia's history.
Benson was born in Walvis Bay, Namibia in 1990. At the age of five months it was noticed that the left side of her body was not developing as expected and she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. She was educated locally in Walvis Bay, attending the public primary and secondary schools.
Benson came from an sporting family, with her mother being an athlete before her, and her uncle playing for the Namibia national football team. From a young age she enjoyed running and her talent was spotted when she attended Kuisebmond Secondary School.
Classified as a T37 competitor, for athletes with cerebral palsy, Benson's first major international event came in 2010 when she represented her country at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. In Delhi she entered the women's 100 metres (T37), and her time of 14.81 saw her finish third to claim the bronze medal. The next year she travelled to Christchurch in New Zealand to compete at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships, but she was unable to find the same form as in India, and she failed to qualify through to the finals in both the 100 and 200 metre sprints.
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