02 May 2023

Collen Kebinatshipi will join Tebogo Letsile, Bayapo Ndori and Leungo Scotch to Budapest, after hitting the World Championships qualifying mark at the ongoing African Youth and Junior Championships in Zambia.

Kebinatshipi clocked 44.91 in the 400 metres finals, winning a gold medal for Botswana.

National team coach, Boxah Mosimakoko said he was happy with the athlete’s achievement, adding that it did not come as a surprise when he stopped the clock at 44.91, given that he had always been focused on training.

The athlete, he said, executed the race plan well right from the blocks as he accelerated well and ran the first curve of 100m very fast.

Mosimakoko said therefore Kebinatshipi was able to reach appropriate speed and maintained it well at the back straight and kicked at the last 150m, hence entering the home straight well positioned in front and maintained his top speed up to the finish.

“His last 50 metres was at maximal speed as he did not decelerate or slow down, hence crossing the finish line at a personal best time, Budapest qualification and getting a gold medal to become 2023 African Junior Champion,” he said.

He however said the competitions were going well and on Monday morning Botswana had recorded another gold medal  by high jumper in the under 20 women Goitseone Joel, while Kago Seshoka won a bronze medal in the 400-metre men’s category.

Jwaneng Athletics coach, Chilume Ntshwarang, who is Kebinatshipi’s personal coach said he was happy given that the athlete was now reaping fruits of his hard work.

He said he was confident all along that Kebinatshipi would qualify for this year’s World Championships, but he did not expect him to qualify at the Africa Junior Championships.

“He qualified early, therefore its less pressure for us, we will not be chasing qualification, but we will be focusing on the World Championships preparations,” he said. Botswana Athletics Association vice president, Oabona Theetso said Kebinatshipi’s qualification was ‘music to their ears’ as a federation.

“With three sub 45 athletes at the World Championships, I am confident that our relay team is going to ‘compete’,” he said, adding that the qualification was an advantage even to the 4x400-metre men’s relay team. ENDs