27 Jun 2022

 Baboloki Thebe, Botswana’s 400 metres sensation, is optimistic that he can still qualify for World Championships, at least through the relay team.

Thebe failed to qualify via Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) final series at the National Stadium on Saturday.

He finished second with a time of 47.58 behind Victor Ntweng who hit 46.79, while Clifton Meshack settled for position three after running 47.66 seconds.

The World Championships qualification time is 44.90.

Consequently, any athlete who still wants to qualify for World Championships, can only do so through the relay team since closing date for the world spectacle was yesterday.

However, Botswana’s 4x400m relay team automatically qualified for the championships after finishing third at the World Relay meet in Poland.

Teams are given six slots for the relay team and BAA selects individual athletes based on their performance.

“I am happy with the time I recorded in my first race. The intention was to feel my body. We have been working on endurance during my training and we are yet to do speed.  

The wind was not favourable today, hence recording slow times,” Thebe said.

His intention was to record better times during envisaged Europe races, which could enable him to make the cut in the 4x 400m men’s relay team.

Thebe’s coach, Mogomotsi Otsetswe, said the athlete outdid himself, adding the first race was always difficult for all athletes.

“I think he is fine. If he continues to train hard, he will need only two races, and he will be an oiled machine, one thing I like about Thebe’s body is that it responds quickly,” he said.

Thebe’s last international race was at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he helped Botswana win a bronze medal.  

At the weekend BAA series, Oaratile Nowe clocked 2:08.23 in 800 metres for women followed by Olebogeng Segolame with 2:23.86, while Thuto Olebeng finished third with 2:30.55

In field events, Sebelatso Senwelo finished first in men’s shot-put with 12.55 metres, followed by Samunzala Oabile with 12.18 metres, while Arnold Tuahuku finished third with 11.01. metres.

Fresh from the Africa Senior Championship, Thalosang Tshireletso proved that his recent triumph was not by fluke as he finished first in the triple jump with 16.42 metres ahead of Zimbabwean duo Theophilus Mudzengerere and Ndlovu Lawren who jumped 15.28m and 15.01m respectively.BOPA