02 Oct 2016

Athletes Nijel Amos and Baboloki Thebe have returned home from Italy where they had gone for medical attention.

800 metres runner, Amos who returned on Thursday, had gone for check-up due to an injury he sustained in the past and for which he previously underwent a minor operation at the same facility.

The 400 metres runner, Thebe returned on Independence Day and he was supposed to undergo minor surgery, to address a partial tear to a muscle. The injury denied the athlete from continuing with competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Amos said in an interview that their check-up went  well, adding that according to their consultation in Rio there was a possibility of him to undergo a surgery.

 He said the doctors in Italy conducted yet another scan and made a determination that surgery was unnecessary as they had observed that the injury had cured itself natural.

“So no operations; just therapy and we will be able to start next season end of next month, but I will be going back again on October 11 for another check-up ,” he said.

For his part Thebe said he went through robust examination during his stay in Italy, adding that after numerous scans, in their finding the doctors said because he had been resting the injury has cured itself.

He said he was happy that he was  declared fit for the next season, but he was instructed that  in the meantime he can only start to jog and do light training during the off- season training.

“Personally I am happy that the doctors did not find a career threatening injury and therefore I can continue preparing for the next season.

After having a rough and challenging season, the athlete said he was confident that the coming athletics season which starts around May will be fruitful for him.

 “Honestly I had a rough season, I missed to prove my mettle at two big international stages, in Poland I was disqualified for lane violation, but hoped to  redeem my pride at the Olympic Games, then I had an injury,” he said.

Despite the injury he sustained one might say the athlete nearly had a very successful season.Thebe who was known as a  100 and 200m specialist shocked the World  in March when he qualified for Rio 2016 Olympic Games in the 400 metres race during the Private Tertiary Institutions Association athletics championship held at the University of Botswana.

Thebe clocked 45.23 seconds beating 400m specialists Isaac Makwala and Karabo Sibanda who recorded 45.58, and 46.32 respectively.

In May at the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) national championships. Thebe shattered his own PB by clocking 44.22 seconds.

In June, the athlete was once again entered in the 400 metres category at the 20th CAA African Senior Championship in South Africa where he did not disappoint as he was crowned the Africa 400 m champion after clocking 44.69.

Chef de Mission for Team Botswana to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Moses Moruisi said in an interview that  he was happy that all has gone well in Italy.

He said Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) had made a commitment that they would not abandon any athlete that got injured during preparations for and or competition at the just ended Olympic and Paralympic games.

The physiotherapist who went to Rio with the Team will work closely with the athletes as they go through the rehabilitation process, he said. Ends