30 Jul 2017

At least three women athletes will represent the country at the IAAF World Championships this week in London.

This will be the first time Botswana has managed to send three women athletes at the championships since in 2011. The country was only represented by Amantle Montsho in Dageu where she won the first gold medal for the country.

In 2013, it was Montsho again who represented the country at Moskva where she won a silver after clocking 49:41.

Now this 15th IAAF World Championships edition, Botswana will be represented by Montsho, Lydia Jele and Christene Botlogetswe and the big question is will the three queens leave a mark at the competitions?

For sport journalist Bapati Mmotlanyane, on paper and from guide, a podium finish is a far-fetched dream.

The women’s 400 metres, he said, was also turning out to be competitive as the men’s given that  athletes like USA’s Allyson  Felix and Shaunae Miller-Uibo of Bahamas  have scores to settle, adding that Natasha Hastings and Quanera Hayes of USA are also in the fray for the title.  “Make no mistake, all this ladies have gone way fast this year than any other competitor in 400 metres event,” he said.

Talking about Amantle, he said the athlete being a former world championship and a runners up in 2013 would rely on her experience.

“But at the same time  we need to be realistic with the truth that long lay-off has took much of her vintage form and mercurial technique, to add more she didn’t have much international races to weigh herself up, but nevertheless it will take something  very special to get silverware,” he said.

Mmotlanyane, further said he believed that Montsho would use the championships as a test on reviving her career, and her target looks to be a place in that final to prove she still has a season or two  left in her legs.

About Botlogetswe and Jele, he said despite their shortfall at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, he was of the view that they could still put up a good show in London.

“Not to say they can bag a medal, but they can also be competitive and perhaps break their personal best, which is something to pride yourself with especially when you are not an international seasonal runner like the likes of Felix and Hastings,” he said.

Furthermore, he said Jele was on her debut season in the Diamond League, adding that it was evident that the athlete needed to do a lot of work since she still has a lot do to command a place in the top eight.

He also said Jele reached her peak early in the season, and that one would have thought she would be a chief contender for the Diamond League in Zurich.
“So in my own analysis I think her recent dip in form writes her off the podium, she is capable of re-writing the script,” he said.

However, athletics analyst Billy Tambula is of the view that Jele’ s season is going smoothly and her times improving gradually until she got injured.

He said he was confident that the athlete was now ready to take on the world, adding that she also has a couple of races of high magnitude which helped in her preparations.

“ I see her doing well, and I have no doubt that she will be able to go through from round one and be cognisant that she comes in this time with a very good personal best, and experience from the Olympics Games. She has been growing every year and even this year I see her doing the same,” he said.

About Botlogetswe, the athletics analyst said the athlete, who was the youngest amongst those who qualified, has showed a lot of character. He said despite not competing in different races, she has managed to better her PB in all the few races she competed in.

What is an eyesore, he said, was the fact that Botlogetswe since she qualified for London has never had a chance to run any competitive race.
Talking about Montsho, he said she seemed determined to have a memorable come back.

“She is quickly picking up form, and I believe her preparations will have been better with a couple of tough races prior to the world champs. She is a seasoned athlete who always wants to give all and if she is in good shape everything is possible,” he said.

Tambula, however, said it was difficult to tell how she would perform because she had been not competing since the Botswana National Athletics Championships.
ENDS