19 Aug 2018

Baboloki Thebe has made it through to the Diamond League final that will be held in Zurich on August 30.

Thebe finished on position seven, with a time of 46.35 at the Birmingham Diamond League meeting on August 18.

Despite the poor performance, he has managed to fall in the top 8 brackets from only three Diamond League races, as he is on position seven with 11 points.

This will be his first Diamond League final, having missed the finals in that last season after sustaining an injury during the London World Championships 4x400 metres heat.

Thebe had sustained an injury during the race on the back straight, but soldiered on to finish his race, and he was ruled out for two weeks  thus  missing the Diamond League finals where he stood a good chance to finish in the top three positions.

He said in an interview after the Birmingham race, that he was cognizant of the fact that he did not stage a very good performance, adding that his body failed to respond during the race, owing to fatigue.

He however said currently what mattered was the fact that, he managed to qualify for the finals after only three races, adding that he was now going back to train for the final, and the IAAF Continental Cup.

“I am focused, finishing on position seven with that time is a wake- up call, and it means I have to work very hard. I have to redeem my pride. I know the nation expected better from me, after winning the Africa Championship in Asaba,” he said.

Track and field, analyst Billy Tambula said the first 200m was very slow, and Thebe looked very relaxed even on the back straight and at that point the situation did not look bad because the rest of the field was also on a slow mode.

He said the athlete attacked in the last bend looking very fresh and was in-line with the rest of the front runners with about 80 metres to go.

“When I thought he will challenge for the first three, he ran out of steam. Generally it was a very slow race and most of the athletes looking like they were struggling. He will now have two weeks to prepare for the final,” he said.

Meanwhile, Isaac Makwala who was supposed to be part of the race, pulled out.

The athlete has been nursing a hamstring tendon tear injury he sustained in May. However Makwala has also qualified for the finals as he is on position six with 13 points he accumulated before the injury. ENDS