01 May 2024

Botswana relay teams will come face to face with the world as they seek qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics at the sixth edition of the World Athletics Relays to be held in Nassau, The Bahamas from May 4 to 5. 

Botswana has sent three teams; the 4x400m men, currently ranked seventh; 4x400m women, which is ranked 13^th and 4x400 mixed relay ranked 20^th.

The 4x400m mixed relay team will be making its debut at the World Athletics Relays and judging by the performance at the African Games where the team won a silver medal, it only needs a strong anchor leg who is capable of covering more area.

As for the 4x400m women, they will have to up their game in this edition in order to win any colour medal.

Both men and women relay teams are not new in competing in the World Athletics Relays. 

In 2015, still in The Bahamas, the men’s relay team of Onkabetse Nkobolo, Zacharia Kamberuka, Gaone Maotoanong and Isaac Makwala made it to the final and finished in position eight with a time of 3:03.73 and qualified for the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.

The women’s team, which comprised of Goitseone Seleka, Lydia Mashila, Loungo Matlhaku and Christine Botlogetswe, could not make it to the next stage of the relays as they crushed in the heat with a Season Best time of 3:39.42

In 2017, the red hot quartet of Makwala, Baboloki Thebe, Onkabetse Nkobolo and Karabo Sibanda won a silver medal with a Season Best time of 3:02.28, while the women’s team made up of Amantle Montsho, Lydia Jele, Galefele Moroko and Christine Botlogetswe clocked a National Record of 3:30.13.

In 2019 in Yokohama, there was no show for Botswana after the trip was cancelled due to VISA issues.

However, Botswana men redeemed the countries name in 2021 at the World Athletics Relays in Silesia, Poland, where Makwala, Boitumelo Masilo, Ditiro Nzamani and Leungo Scotch won a bronze with a time of 3:04.77 and qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics that were held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The women’s team of Thomphang Basele, Loungo Matlhaku, Galefele Moroko and Montsho could not proceed to the next round after finishing in third position with a Season Best time of 3:34.99.

The only medal missing in the men’s cabinet is gold and looking at the quality of this season’s team, winning a gold medal is possible. ENDS