09 Jul 2014

When the whistle blows in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games, it would also be a moment of truth in Eugene USA, where a team of Botswana’s young jewels will face the ‘best’ at the World Junior Athletics Championships.

The junior championships which are penciled for July 22-27 will witness the prowess of Botswana’s junior team which prides itself with world ranked young sprinters.

2010 African Youth Games champion Leungo Matlhaku is the only girl in the team as she will be sandwiched by seven boys.  The Africa Junior Championships silver medalist is pitted in the 100m and 200m races.

Rising star Karabo Sibanda will tackle the 400m race as he sits on a good record ranked number six with 46:77 in the world. The 2014 AYG champion made Batswana proud in May as he won the 400m race and hence landing him in a good spot to be ranked amongst the top six talented youth.

Another AYG champion who has been roped in the team is 200m Baboloki Thebe ranked number four youth in 200m with 20:85. Thebe is also one of Botswana’s rough diamonds who raised the country’s flag high and furnished Batswana the opportunity to sing the national anthem at the just ended youth Games in Gaborone.

The 4x400m relay will be tackled by Larona Thebe, Unoda keetile, Sibanda and Leungo Scotch while the 4x100m relay is ran by Karabo Mothibi, Thebe, Scotch and Thabiso Sekgopi.

Thebe will again compete in the 400m hurdles, Keetile and Scotch in the 400m whereas Sekgopi and Mothibi take on the 200m.

In an interview Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) public relations officer, Ipolokeng Ramatshaba said the team was scheduled to commence training this weekend and were currently engaged with school commitments.
He stated that for all these youngsters to form part of the team they had to meet qualification standards in local and international races which include the Gaborone 2014 AYG.

Ramatshaba said as BAA they are mandated with compiling results of all their competitions to International Associations of Athletics Federations (IAAF) hence some of the youngsters were graded depending on local races.

“All these athletes earned a spot to the championship, there was no special selection done but they had to meet qualification standards,” he said.

The spokesperson said they were pinning their hopes on the youngsters as they had proved that they can be counted amongst the best in the world.

The team leaves on July 19 under the tutelage of head coach Chilume Ntshwarang. ENDS