16 Aug 2015

Six athletes, on Sunday August 16, left for the IAAF World Championships billed for China in August 22-30.

The Nike-sponsored team comprised 800 metres specialist, Nijel ‘Zoro’ Amos, Onkabetse ‘Tolly’ Nkobolo, who will compete in both the 400m and relay, high jumper, Kabelo Kgosiemang as well as the 4 x 400m relay team comprising Leaname ‘Lux’ Maotoanong, Sakaria ‘Zakes’ Kamberuka, Pako ‘PK’ Seribe and Isaac ‘Badman’ Makwala.

Makwala, who has been training in Germany, would join the team in Beijing. Speaking at the team’s send-off ceremony Friday August 14, Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) chairperson, Solly Reikeletseng’ said the BNSC, Botswana National Olympic Committee, Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture and government would continue to support athletes.

Reikeletseng said the world championships was a big stage although not an unusual stage for the country. “We still clearly remember that we have won the championships before through our female icon Amantle Montsho.

We also went as far as position four in the last championships through the same athlete and we have qualified in many instances for the event and reached finals many times,” he said.

Nonetheless, Reikeletseng encouraged athletes to remain resolute in their efforts to beat their previous performance records. He also encouraged them to be confident given that they had met some of their opponents in many races and outclassed them.

Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) president, Moses Bantsi said he was confident that athletes would bring medals from the championships. Bantsi said all athletes in the team had met qualifying standards and also qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

In an interview, Amos said he was prepared to conquer the world and had not thought much about breaking records because world championships were mainly about winning medals.He said he had been training well in the past weeks and was confident that he would make it to the finals.

Amos was also happy that his coach, Jean Verster, would be with him at the competition. That, he said, was because the last two days of the competition were important, hence significance of having the coach by his side.

Kgosiemang said his preparations had been going well and therefore he was hopeful that he would do well at the championships. Having finished in position 12 at the last World Championships, his aim was to improve his standings and ultimately finish in the top six or eight.

The 400m runner, Nkobolo, said he was injury free and ready to represent the country at the international stage. He added that he was not under pressure and thanked seasoned athletes in Amos and Makwala for their inspiration and guidance. ENDS