08 Feb 2022

The 400 metres runner, Ditiro Nzamani, has made an impressive comeback after a long layoff due to a hamstring injury he suffered in May last year.

Nzamani won both 300m and 600m with a time of 33.52 and 1:18.72 respectively at the Jwaneng track and field challenge in Lobatse on Saturday.

Despite the fact that he was competing against shrewd athletes, Nzamani proved that a grade three hamstring injury that denied him a place in the 4x400m men’s relay team that represented Botswana at the Tokyo Olympics last year was now a thing of the past.

While he started the 600m slow, he managed to kick in the last 200m covering more space that enabled him to stop the clock in pole position.

Zibane Ngozi finished second in 1:18.90, while Phenyo Majama settled for position three with 1:18.94.

In an interview after the 600m event, Nzamani was happy that he managed to finish the race without feeling any pain.

Nzamani said he started training in November last year, and his first race was the 600m which he won convincingly.

He said the main purpose of competing in the event was to check if he had fully recovered, so that like all other athletes he could now seek to qualify for major events.

“Now my performance has proved that I am now healed and I am now prepared to face the world, so from here I am going to work very hard because a lot is at stake,” he said.

In the 300m, Nzamani finished first with 33.52, followed by Laone Ontefetse with 33.79, while Rebeilwe Thwanyane scooped position three with 34.78.

In the 60m, Thapelo Monaiwa finished first with 6.82 followed by Mompoloki Powane and Phodiso Rampa who tied with a time of 6.88.

Same Mohutsiwa won the 60m women’s category with 8.28, followed by Katso Kelobang with 8.91 while Maipelo Tshephe finished third with 8.93.

In the men’s long jump, Norman Chibane recorded 7.04 metres while Edwin Molelekwa claimed position to after jumping 6.07m followed by Bosa Moeti with 5.96m.

Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) vice president, Oabona Theetso said the event was meant to monitor athletes’ readiness and it went well, given that they had seen promising athletes running neck to neck with experienced ones. He said for Nzamani to win both races was an indication that he was back.

“Although Bernard Olesitse did not win his race, his performance was promising,” he said. ENDs