14 Aug 2016

Team Botswana’s hope of bringing home medals from Rio Olympics have been dealt a heavy blow.

Only Karabo Sibanda managed to qualify for the 400m final as the fastest loser after finishing on position three with a new personal best time of 44.47.

Team Botswana suffered a major blow after Baboloki Thebe withdrew from the semi-finals after recurrence of an injury from the past.

Botswana National Olympics Committee (BNOC) broke the news to Batswana few hours before the race.

BNOC statement said forcing Thebe to compete with an injury might have resulted in him failing to perform in the semi-finals, and even worse, exacerbate his injury such that it would take much longer to heal and or put him out of athletics completely.

“We will make sure Baboloki receives good medical attention to heal soon, so that he can continue to represent Botswana ably and win us medals in future, “said the statement.

Meanwhile, Isaac Makwala failed to make it to the final after finishing on position eight 46.60.

The other hope for Batswana is the 4x400 metres men relay team to build on the success of the last Olympics when Nijel Amos won the first ever Olympic medal for the country. 

Still on Saturday (August 13), Christine Botlogetswe and Lydia Jele failed to make it to the semi-finals in the 400 metres (women).

Botlogetswe finished on position four with 52.37, while Jele clocked 52.24 and settled for position four as well.

In 800 metres on Friday (August 12), Boitumelo Masilo finished on position six with a time of 1:48.48, and the biggest shock was when Botswana 2012 Olympic Games, Nijel Amos finished on position seven with a time of 1:50.46, in the heats.

Batswana had pinned their hopes on Marobela born, to at least win yet another medal, but that was not to be as he succumbed to position   seven with a time of 1:50.46.

Amos said in an interview after the race that his intention was to go through to the semi-final but towards end of the race, he said, “I could not handle the pain from an injury. At some point I thought of letting it go and stop but I could not simply because it means a lot now to me that I lined and finished my race on my second Olympic Games,” he said. ENDS