12 Jun 2018

Batswana athletes seem to be enjoying international competitions, as they stamped their authority in different races over the weekend.

In Geneva, Switzerland, Christine Botlogetswe continued with her excellent performance this season as she clocked a new Personal Best (PB) of 50.89, making her the third fastest athlete in Africa.

In Dessau, Germany, Amantle Montsho also sent a strong message that her Commonwealth Games performance was not a fluke as she cruised to the finish line in 51.92.

In 100 metres, Loungo Matlhaku finished on position three with a time of 11.86, and in 200 metres, she clocked 23.88 to finish on position three while Galefele Moroko settled for position five with 24.39.

In 400 metres men, Onkabetse Nkobolo arrived third in 46.85 after Germany’s Trefz Johannes and Junker Torben

However, it was Botlogetswe’s performance that caught the eyes of the athletics family because she clocked her first sub 51.

Athletics coach, Chilume Ntshwarang said Botlogetswe has amazing talent, and that she was also working with a good coach who was becoming the master of long-term development.

“Just look at where he took Lydia Jele from and now it is Christine. You can see a lot of work has been done in the past couple of years. 

That is why she has the capacity to break her personal best times and looking at the type of athlete she is, we haven’t seen anything yet,” he said.

Chilume said the athlete was dedicated and determined to take on the world, adding that 400 metres by nature needed an athlete who had a high work rate.

He said he worked with Botlogetswe at the youth level and that she had witnessed her resilience, adding that she started running good times in her mid-twenties. Another athletics coach, Breandan Tautsagae said Botlogetswe had been the most consistent of the crop of athletes the country has. “She has done a PB after PB, something that doesn’t come too often.

It can only be a sign that there is something she and her coach are doing right.

We cannot ignore the fact that unlike other countries who have shown potential at youth and junior level, ours has been a continuous performance seen by other elite athletes before her,” he said.

He said Botswana athletes matured with time, adding that as they showered her with praises it was also paramount to analyse and appreciate the fact that it might have been due to a great plan by both her coaches.

He said the athlete started from the shadows of her fellow team mates like Montsho, and that she had all the time to blossom without much pressure on her. ENDS