24 May 2016

Since Botswana’s first appearance in the 1980 Summer Olympic Games, in Moscow, no athlete has qualified for more than one event.

For this coming Olympic Games pencilled for Rio in August, history will be written as it will be the first time ever Botswana will be represented in different events by one athlete.

Baboloki Thebe has qualified for both 200 and 400 metres races and Thebe’s qualification in Botswana Athletics Association national championships on Sunday proved that the sporting fraternity is doing something right.

The Ramonaka born surprised a lot of spectators who watched him qualify in the 200 metres on home soil.

On Saturday, he shattered his qualifying Olympic time of 45; 23, by clocking 44:22 in the 400 metres final.

After that impressive performance it took Thebe less than 24 hours to qualify for 200 metres after recording 20:21.

One would have thought he was just too tired to clock the qualifying time the following day, but that was not to be as he proved to be in his own class.

He blasted from the blocks and rounded well in the curves and in the remaining 50 metres he kicked hard to clock an impressive time.

Immediately after qualifying for the 200 metres, Thebe told BOPA that he was happy that he managed to qualify with a better time.

Talking about his take off, he said during practise his coach put more emphasis on the reaction and concentration, hence he implemented what he was taught during training sessions.

National team coach, Justice Dipeba said it was a good thing for Thebe to have qualified for both the two events, adding that he prepared him to focus in the 400 metres because he recorded quality time on Saturday.

He said Thebe has proved that he had everything that an athlete needed in terms of speed, confidence and speed.ENDS