07 Sep 2015

Botswana’s 400-metre runner, Karabo Sibanda, is through to today’s final after clocking 48:15 to finish first at the on-going Samoa Commonwealth Youth Games. Sibanda has an enduring character coupled with a good fighting spirit hence Batswana may cross their fingers and expect a medal from the 2014 African Youth Games gold medallist.

Sibanda said in an interview that his qualifying time of 48:15 made him the second fastest hence he would leave no stone unturned.

He said preparations for the finals had been going on well and he was confident he would finish at the podium. However, Sibanda must deal with Cayman Islands runner, Jamal Walton’s threat who broke Usain Bolt’s U-17 400m record time of 47.33 after he clocked 47.28 at the 2014 CARIFTA Games in Martinique.

However, Karabo is confident he was there to run his own race and would not allow himself to be intimidated by any athlete. 

In other results, according to the team’s manager updates, high jumper Aobakwe Nkobela came position 10, being second best jumping of 1.96m while Kabo Mphali, long jumper, stretched his Personal Best (PB) from 6.72 to 6.89. In 100m, Thabiso Sekgopi made it to the semi-finals, while Aobakwe Malau increased his PB from 10.75s to 10.73s, 100 metres hurdles’ Refilwe Murangi made it to the semi-finals from a PB of 12.74s to 12.73s

In Swimming, David Van Der Colff made the B final in 50m fly, coming 12^th with 26.42s while in 100m backstroke he got position nine in 59.42s whereas in boxing, Kutlwano Ogaketse (56kg) knocked out his Pakistan opponent in round three (technical knockout). He proceeds to the quarter-finals.  Ends