01 Aug 2021

Isaac Makwala and Leungo Scotch have one more challenge to overcome prior to the 400m final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The duo will compete in the semi-finals August 2 at around 1:05 pm (local time).

They qualified for the semi-finals in August 1 with Makwala leading the pack  with a time of 44.86 in his heat.

Makwala’s time qualified him for the World Championships billed for Oregon next year.

As for Scotch, he qualified through the fastest time after finishing on position four with a time of 45.32.

The national team coach, Justice Dipeba, said in an interview that he was delight with the athletes fighting spirit.

He was, however, quick to caution that, today’s races would be taxing, adding that the semi-finals by nature were tricky.

Dipeba said the top two in each race and the next fastest two would qualify for the final.

“Like I always say, we take one step at a time, I am happy the athletes came out of the race healthy. So Monday, we will be back again and we will do our best,” he said.

Track and field analyst, Lentswe Charles, said though Scotch qualified for semifinals, his race technique needed to be sharpened.

He said he finished on position four due to an issue of energy distribution in all the four splits,  started very strong, gained momentum fast chasing South African Wayde Van Nierkek who accelerated fast upfront and he went fast on the bend only to come in front of all men at the 300m mark.

He said Scotch used a lot of energy on the 300 metres , which derailed him from going tighter on the last 50 metres of the race since his energy was depleted, letting two runners on inside lanes fly past him with 30 metres remaining.

Charles said he should have used the advantage of pace judgments on opponents in the curves due to being in a mid-lane.

“He should also have taken some breath mid race to enable him for a good run in the home-straight, also he seemed  to have much strength and he should have displayed a sub maximal pace on the back straight,” he said.

On Makwala, the analyst said the athlete displayed an impressive run with a great rhythm as he started strongly gaining momentum on the back straight.

He said Makwala was in good shape and had improved in the strength needed for the event.

Makwala, he said,  had a wonderful race with a good energy distribution from an outside lane and initiated the homestretch easily relaxed, ending up without much pressure from opponents evidence by jogging on the last 50 metres of the race for a sub 45 mark.

He said running with Kirani James who also ran hard in front of the pack gave him much confidence to push hard and finished without much oxygen debt. Ends