Johanna Benson

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.

Personal history Benson was born in Walvis Bay, South West Africa (now 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. She further received money from private individuals, institutions, and organisations. Furthermore, she was given an offer for free trainings and physiotherapy for the next four years from an agency in her home town. Benson's achievements in London made her the first athlete from Namibia to win a Paralympic gold medal, and the first competitor to win gold across either Olympic or Paralympic Games. Namibia's Frankie Fredericks won several silver medals in 1992 and 1996.

Benson followed her Paralympic success with medals at World Championship level. At the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon she won two bronze medals, in the 100 and 200 metre races.

In the buildup to the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Benson took part in two further international competitions. At the 2015 African Games in Brazzaville, she won gold in the T37, 100 metre sprint, though in a weak field. She also collected a third World Championship medal by winning a bronze at the 2015 Championships in Doha in the 200 metres (T37). With Benson's favourite event, the 200 metres, withdrawn from the schedule, she entered the 100 metre and 400 metre sprint, and the long jump. Despite qualifying through to the finals in both races, she finished at the back of the field in both events. Her time of 14.16 in the 100 metre sprint was actually faster than her silver medal time from London, but the strength of the field had moved on significantly in the past four years and Benson finished in seventh place.