13 Mar 2017

Botswana’s finest runner, Baboloki Thebe clocked a 400m 2017 World Lead (WL) of 44.89 in a Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) series meet in Francistown on Saturday.

It was his first race of the season after nursing a recurring injury which denied him to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games However, Thebe has already qualified for the IAAF 2017 World Championships by virtue of being the African champion.

He said in an interview that he was happy that he managed to deep under 45 seconds in his first race of the season.

“I haven’t been training well and I joined camp two weeks back from injury recuperations,. For me to record this time, I think it is very promising, moving forward,” he said.

Furthermore, he said on Saturday his mission was to check his fitness level, adding that moving forward his ambition was to record better times ahead of BAA national championships scheduled for May.

Onkabetse Nkobolo finished on position two with 46.35, followed by Pako Seribe who clocked 47.12 and on position four was Leungo Scotch with 47.59. Still in Francistown, former 2011 world champion, Amantle Montsho shocked the world by qualifying for the World Championship slated for London on August after recording 52.00.

That was her second race from a two year ban following a failed doping test. In her first Race in Lobatse a fortnight ago she finished on third position with 54.01.

However on Saturday, Montsho came very determined to go back to her glory days of hoisting Botswana’s flag and she knew at the back of her mind that qualifying for the major event will resuscitate her.

She said in an interview that she was happy and shocked at the same time that she qualified just on her second race after two years of non-action in the track.

“I am really shocked at my performance today but also very happy. I had forecast running between the time of 53 and 54 and had projected to, maybe, qualify at the nationals to be held in May,” she said.

She however said she will continue to work very hard at training so that she improves her time. In the 400 metres women, position two went to Christine Botlogetswe with 52.75, followed by Galefele Moroko 55.20, Oarabile Babolayi settled for position four with 56.36

Their coach, Mogomotsi Otsetswe, said he was a happy man saying that his charges had done well. She commended Montsho on her World Championships qualifications.

“Amantle has been working really hard at training and my projections were that she was going to definitely qualify between February and March and it happened today. As for Thebe, I spent time resting him so he recovers from his injuries and today he showed that he was back to compete again,” Otsetswe said.

In 800 metres men, Boitumelo Masilo missed the 1:45.90 qualifying mark by a whisker after he run 1:47.85, followed by Zimbabwean Nyasha Mutsetse with 1:50.22, on position three was Solomon Serameng with 1:58.24 while Moses Mbatisi settled for position four with 2:02.65. In 200 metres men, Omphemetse Poo clocked 21.67 to claim position one, followed by Thabiso Sekgopi with 21.68 while on position three was Tsaone Mothibi with 22.21 In 100 metres women, Lone Madzimule scooped position one with 14.08, Nametso Phale scooped position two after recording 14.19, while Kungo Onkemetse finished in position three with 14.91. ENDS