10 Apr 2018

Botswana’s flag was hoisted high yesterday (April 10) at the Commonwealth Games after Isaac Makwala clinched his first international gold medal with compatriot, Baboloki Thebe coming behind to win silver.

Makwala won the 400 metres final with a time of 44.35 at the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, with Thebe running past more seasoned athletes to come second and earned a silver medal clocking 45.09.   

It was a moment of pride for Botswana athletics as the two runners, one a veteran, the other a promising youngster, had scores of Batswana watching over television and rising to their feet in celebration.

Since competing at the international stage, Makwala had never won a Commonwealth Games, World Championships or Olympic Games medal, prompting the commentator to ask a global television audience, “will he finally win the medal that has eluded him at the age of 31.”

After the race, Makwala had triumphed and the commentator stated that “he has delivered the final product; Makwala wins gold, his countryman Thebe makes it one and two for Botswana.”

“Badman,” as he is popularly known, had a mission this year and he clearly showed his intention of winning a medal, as he kept a clean sheet in his road to the finals.

In heat two, Makwala finished on position one with a time of 46.01, and improved his time in the semis clocking 45.00 and still finishing in first position.

Thebe on the other hand started the competition in a low tempo finishing third in heat four with a time of 46.17.

In the semi-finals he finished second with 45.54, but surprised the world with his performance by coming from behind to clinch a silver medal.

Kenya’s Daily Nation journalist, Ayumba Ayodi, who has been monitoring the Botswana duo, said they ran well as pressure was on them to perform after the 2017 World Championships disappointment.

“In London, Thebe just missed a medal to finish fourth while we all know what happened to Makwala who didn’t start in London,” he said.

Furthermore, Ayodi said Makwala ran well to take the lead with 200m to go, and that he could have broken the Games record if he had pushed harder.

He said Thebe had to dig deep to win on the line against Jamaican Javon Francis, adding it was good leverage going into the Africa Championships in August. ENDS