31 Aug 2022

Coach Mogomotsi Otsetswe has reunited with Karabo Sibanda and Baboloki Thebe.

Otsetswe, who is now training the two 400 metres runners, said in an interview that he was happy to have re-united with ‘his sons’ given that they previously had a good working relationship.

Both Sibanda and Thebe became household names during their tenure with Otsetswe, but would later take different routes.

Otsetswe said he was discouraged by 400m athletes’ performance at the recent major games.

“As Botswana, we used to run around 44.2 and 44.0. I was worried by the fact that we were running 45, therefore I found it prudent to go back to coaching to help other coaches, so that we go back to our glory days,” he said.

Otsetswe said during the last Olympics, only Isaac Makwala qualified in 400m individual race, adding that alone was clear manifestation that ‘the ship was sinking.’

The coach said upon his return, since leaving in 2018, he decided to look for Sibanda and Thebe because other athletes already had their coaches.

Otsetswe said the duo were still young and he was confident that they would make a strong come back.

“As you can see, they are training and I have to rigorously work with them to go back to their normal feat,” he said.

Furthermore, Otsetswe said there was a lot that needed to be done to assist the athletes, including providing them with food, accommodation, physiotherapist and transport to go for training.

“We will be using Serowe stadium and we will be expected to commute from Mahalapye to Serowe more especially when we work on our speed, so it is going to be a challenge, but we will persevere. 

So I will be happy to have some good Samaritans come on board to assist,” he said.

Alert to the fact that Batswana had been longing to see the duo in action, Otsetswe said he would take time to assist them to get to a form where they would be able to perform to their best.

“I want to build and have a training base so that I do not leave any phase.  The programme is normally a year, so expectation is that next year this time, the boys will be too hot to handle. They will start to fully compete in March,” he said. ENDS