30 Jun 2021

Botswana ace runner, Isaac Makwala will continue his European circuit races tomorrow (July 1) competing in his first Wanda Diamond League this year in Oslo, Norway .

Makwala will compete in the 200 metres against Canada’s André de Grasse, Aaron Brown (Italy), Eseosa Desalu (France), Mathias Johansen (Norway), Vernon Norwood (USA) as well as Alex Wilson of Switzerland.

Although in top form this season, Makwala is expected to get stiff competition from de Grasse.

In an interview, track and field analyst, Aobakwe Showa said Makwala would face a high-stacked field against four athletes with sub-20s personal bests.

Among the favourites, according to Showa, are Brown and de Grasse but the latter was preferred to win the race because he was the quickest and the only athlete with a sub-20s this year as well as a Season Best of 19.89s he loped just a month ago in Doha.

Showa argued that Makwala would also have to put an eye on Brown who was ranked sixth in 200m and arrived in Oslo at the back of victory in the Canadian national championships a week ago with a time of 20.24s which ranked him the third fastest in the field behind Makwala’s 20:15 and de Grasse’s 19.89s.

“This is perhaps the biggest test for 35-year-old Makwala who got his European circuit off a strong start in his two Continental Tour previous meets as he managed to win all his races, posting a time of 20:37 meet in Hengelo Netherlands in 200m before storming to victory in Poland about two weeks back in 400m with a Season Best of 44:47,” he said.

He said Makwala had dipped under 20s once in his career back in 2017, adding “if ever it is the best time to run a sub 20s again for Makwala, it has to be now. That means he should execute his race plan very well given that he was slow off the blocks in his last 200m race in Hengelo where he was made to work really hard in the home stretch for victory.”

Showa was also of the view that should Makwala explode off the blocks and negotiate a perfect bend, it would be difficult for his competitors to catch up with him because he would use his 400m endurance to his advantage and hold them off. Ends