25 Apr 2024

Isaac Makwala is expected to lead a team of 18 athletes who will compete at the World Relays to be held at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau, The Bahamas from May 4-5. 

Team Botswana will compete in three events; the 4x400m mixed relay as well as 4x400m relays for both women and men respectively.

National team coach, Justice Dipeba said Makwala’s experience would come in handy as the team needed his leadership skills and his exploits on the track.

“The youngsters believe in Makwala. They look at him as a role model and his presence just puts a positive vibe around the team,” he said. 

Dipeba said the main objective of the team they were sending to The Bahamas was to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

He said the men’s and the mixed relay teams stood a good chance of making it to the podium. 

In the team, he said there were three athletes who were able to run under 45 seconds. 

“We have just seen Bayapo Ndori and Leungo Scotch running very well in Kenya last weekend and we are very excited that they ran fast times,” he said. 

On the 4x400m women’s team, Dibepa said they had a mixture of young and experienced athletes. 

Also, he said they wanted to give young runners exposure at the World Relays. 

“What gives us hope is that the team is mostly made up of new faces. Quite a number of them have not competed at the The Bahamas Relays,” he said. 

The men’s 4x400m team is made up Busang Kebinatshipi, Boitumelo Masilo, Ndori, Zibane Ngozi, Anthony Pesela, Scotch, Tebogo and van Wyk.

The women’s team consists of Thomphang Basele, Christine Botlogetswe, Lydia Jele, Obakeng Kamberuka, Batisane Kennekae, Galefele Moroko, Motlatsi Rante and Refilwe Murangi.

The 4x400m mixed relay team has Nancy Budzwani, Makwala, Jele, Kamberuka, Kebinatshipi and Ndori. 

Meanwhile, according to World Athletics, 893 athletes from 54 countries will particiapte at the global event. A total of 32 teams will compete in the men’s 4x100m and 30 in the women’s  4x100m. 

Thirty-two teams will compete in the men’s 4x400m, 27 in the women’s 4x400m and 30 in the mixed 4x400m relays. 

Also, Olympic qualifying places will be up for grabs. 

In the first day of the race, the top two teams in each heat will advance to the final on day two, while also securing their qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

On the second day of the event, teams will compete for prize money and obtain Olympic lane seeding positions. 

All other teams will compete in the additional round where the top two teams in each heat will also qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. ENDS