04 Aug 2024

Botswana’ only female athlete in athletics at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has bowed out of the competition after finishing fifth in 800m with a time of 2:03.29 in a repechage heat on Saturday.

Oratile Nowe finished in position six clocking a time of 2:01.00 on Friday and competed in a repechage, a new system that World Athletics has introduced to give athletes another opportunity to qualify. She looked sharp in the repechage, and did not allow herself to be boxed like she did in the heat.

Some pundits held the view that Nowe had a bright future and considering that she qualified by ranking, saying if she continued to work hard, she would be the one to watch in the next Olympics to be held in Los Angeles in 2028.

Botswana head coach, Chilume Ntshwarang said Nowe ran well in the repechage, unlike in the heat. 

“In the last lap in the 250 metres mark, she tried to position properly and other athletes distracted her, and it was difficult for her to come from behind,” he said. 

Ntshwarang said the fact that she was caged in the heat played a role in her not qualifying for the semi-finals. She said during the repechge, they advised her to stick to her race plan and desist from remaining behind. 

Her South African-based coach, Samuel Sepeng said he was impressed by Nowe’s performance.

“During the repechage, she was unlucky but she had a good plan because the whole 700 metres, she was looking good,” he said and added that he was confident that there was more that Nowe could do because she was a good athlete with good progression.

“With the level of her fitness, I don’t think we will close our season. From the Olympics, we will continue to compete,” he said. 

Botswana Athletics Association (BAA), vice president technical, Kenneth Kikwe said the association was happy with Nowe’s performance.

“She has learnt a lot from the Olympics and now knows when and how to attack,” he said and noted that Nowe had more to offer the country.

 He said the intention was to make sure that more girls participated in athletics.

For BAA to develop a girl child, Kikwe said the athlete would need guidance from veteran and experienced female athletes but noted that the implementation of Matlhagolatsela programme would identify more female athlete. 

Meanwhile Botswana’s 400m hurdler, Victor Ntweng will be in action today and he is the second athlete to represent the country at the Olympics in the hurdles.

Botswana was represented by Wilfred Kareng at the 1980 Moscow Olympics though he did not to proceed to the next round.

Ntshwarang said Ntweng was also in good shape and ready for the competition. Ends