27 Jun 2018

Exploits by Team Botswana at the 2018 Commonwealth Games have inspired 19-year-old junior athlete, Bayapo Ndori who hails from Tutume.

Tutume natives and many other Batswana in love with athletics may need not to worry about who shall take the baton from their celebrated champion Isaac Makwala, as young athletes like Bayapo appear to be on the right track. 

The promising 400 metres athlete took position four at the national championships of the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA), and qualified for the IAAF World Junior Championships to be held in Finland, starting on July 10.

He confessed in an interview that he regards Makwala as his favourite sportsman, and wants to meet him to get tips on how he can produce good results during high profile competitions.

The young Ndori pointed out that he has often seen Makwala from a distance at the national stadium, but hoped that one day they will have a one on one chat.

From primary to junior secondary school, Ndori’s participation in athletics was an on/off affair, which began when he was doing Standard Three at Tutume Primary School.

He left the sport and resurfaced on the tracks at the age of 11 when he was doing Standard Five and represented the school in regional competitions but was not selected for the nationals, and thereafter he did not return to the sports field.

The young Ndori never knew that there was more to the chase than just the cheers of peers and actually just ran for fun.

But his talent did not go unnoticed at subsequent study levels.

When he reached Form Two at Denjebuya Junior Secondary School, he was motivated by his then Social Studies teacher, Omaatla Maretlwaneng, who also doubled as his coach.

Unfortunately, an unexpected indefinite break erupted as there was no athletics at his school for one year but only ball sport.

However, through the guidance of the coach, the young athlete did not halt physical training as he kept himself in form as a softball player.

The young man also did not despair and give up as he proceeded with athletics at Tutume McConnell College and ran exceptionally well in the 400m races.

Having proved his potential at the Botswana Integrated Sports Association (BISA) competitions, he was spotted by Meleko Ndolo, who then scouted the junior athlete for further athletics training upon completing Form Five last year.

Ndori who turned 19 this month, currently does his training in Maun, where he is also supplementing his Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education subjects.

He said he wished to pass and further pursue studies by enrolling for a Degree in Sports Science. 

He shared that in his development, he had misfortunes as his mother passed on while he was still young, but he coped with the loss as he had his father by his side.

He said the pain that later hit him the most was the passing on of his father, as it was tougher to cope with, but it is apparent that sport worked for him, not only physically but also mentally.

 He further pointed out that having a supportive family is what kept him comforted and made him progress well in sport and remained strengthened by the care and support of his surviving family members, which include his aunt and elder brother, who provide for his educational and sport necessities.

Unlike other potential athletes who abandon sports after completing secondary education, Ndori remains focused and looks forward to successfully progressing to the senior category and enjoy better earnings as a professional athlete.

His focus for now is on doing the best at the upcoming 2018 World Junior Championships, where he will be accompanied by other local athletes in the mould of Onneile Phokedi, Ditiro Nzamani and Lee Eppie. ENDS