06 Jul 2015

Botswana 400 metres specialist, Isaac “Badmad”Makwala shocked the world on Sunday (July 5) when he reclaimed back his African Record title from South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk with a spectacular performance of 43:72 at Resisprint meeting in La Chaux-de-Fonds,Swirtzeland.

Van Niekerk broke Makwala’s African record of 44.01 with 43.96 at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Paris, on Saturday (July 4), but it took South African athlete one year to break Makwalas 400 m record, but it took the Botswana lad less than 24 hours to reclaim his African crown.

It seems Badman enjoy the Swiss City stadium looking at his record, given than in 2013 he recorded his Seasons Best of 45.86,in 2014 he set a new record of 44:01and on Sunday he raised the bar again ,maybe and just maybe La Chaux-de-Fonds is where Badman pick his form.

The 43:72 which also records as a World Lead means Badman is now rated as one of the fastest ahead of his track nemesis, LaShawn Merritt of Unites State and Kirani James of Grenada

However, the excited Makwala told BOPA that he was confident that he would be back in his normal days, given that he started his season well with a 45:10 in Jamaica, but after that he sustained a hip injury hence he struggled to run fast in his previous competitions.

Makwala said the win was so special to him because at some point he stopped competing and told his coach Justice Dipeba that this season was going to be difficult for him, therefore he wants to come back home.

“JD told me to hang in there, he told me I am a big man and he gave me a relevant example of Usain Bolt that he was also struggling but with more hard work everything will add up” he said.

Then comes July 04,the day Badman didn’t want to forget as he was watching Diamond League meeting in Paris, according to him he watched helplessly as Van Niekerk broke his African Record,that alone meant that the 400 metre African title was gone and it was going to be attached to South Africa.

“To be honest with you I thought I was dreaming I was so stressed, well after some hours I told myself that yes, my title was gone but at the same time I had to focus on the race, while at the start point and the gun went off, I had a mission to reclaim back my tittle, and I just did that, and I am happy about that, hey La Chaux-de-Fonds,always has good things for me,you know, “he said.

Makwala’s coach, Dipeba said the athletes made a brilliant performance on the day adding he believed that he just needed that time to click, and that time was Sunday.

He said the three weeks of training that he had without competition also helped a lot as it gave them time to work on few things that they discovered were wrong in the previous races.

According to JD, Makwala worked hard and he updated him every day, and the athlete was happy and he could feel that things were coming together.

I am so proud of him, he is cut above the rest., what talent, a cut above the rest, and This is one of the stolen quote that I send to him when It looked like the road was getting rough and tough.

The road to athletic greatness is not marked by perfection but the ability to constantly overcome adversity and failure” he said.

Meanwhile position two went to Abdalela Haroun of Qatar with 44:27, followed by Ofentse Magawane of South Africa who recorded 45:75, on position four was Calvan Matteo of Italy with 45:95, Poslish, Marciniszyn Marcin finished on position five with 46:86.

On Final two, still in the 400 Metres Pako Seribe finished on position four with 46:30, while position one went to Jamin Solomon of Trinidad and Tobago, followed by Koumi Sadam of Sudan with 45:58, position three went to Gillet Antoine of Belgium with 46:25, and Zambian Saviour Kombe clocked 46:58 to claim position five. Ends