14 Jun 2017

All eyes will be on Botswana’s 400 metres ace runner Baboloki Thebe as he is poised to stamp his authority in the event during the Oslo Diamond League tonight.

Thebe is the favourite to win the meet looking at the start list.

It does not have veterans in the likes of USA’s LaShwawn Merritt.

Currently, Thebe has accumulated seven points after finishing on position two at Eugene Diamond League meeting with a time of 45.04.

If he  wins the race, he will be at par with Merritt with 15 points.

In an interview from Oslo, Thebe said he was fully aware that he needed to hit the finish line first so that he garnered the eight valuable points in Oslo and vowed to execute his race plan well.

“You see in 400 metres, there are no under dogs. Athletes are always preparing to win their races and therefore it would be suicidal to take things easy or judge fellow athletes by their Season Best,” he said.

Furthermore, he said there was always upsets and surprises in all the races, adding that his intension was to win the race, hence he prepared well for it.

He said he was using the Diamond League to prepare for the London World Championships given that he failed to prepare well during the start of the season after being side-lined by a recurring injury.

“On Sunday (June 18), I will be competing in Stockholm Diamond League meeting. I just pray I remain injury free because I haven’t been competing enough. So it is important that in August I am in good shape to fully face other athletes during the World Champs,” he said.

Thebe will be with the Borlee brothers, Jonathan and Kevin from Belgium, South African Pieter Conradie, Matthew Hudson-Smith from Great Britain, Norwegian Mauritz Kåshagen, Pavel Maslák of Cze Republic, and Polish Rafał Omelko.

His coach Mogomotsi Otsetswe said he was confident that Thebe would execute his race plan well on the day without any pressure.

“I actually told him that he stand a good chance to win on the da and he should take it easy and follow our race plan,” he said.

The coach said the athlete had been training well in preparation for the Oslo meet.

MeanwhileM Thebe will from Oslo travel to Stockholm Diamond League to be held on June 18, where he will share the track with  Kevin, Steven Gardiner of Bahamas, Hudson-Smith,Luka Janezic of Slovekia,Omelko,and Raba Yousif of Great Britain. ENDS