05 May 2024

Botswana’s 4x400 men’s relay team has on Sunday booked a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after finishing in first position at the World Athletics Relays held in Nassau, The Bahamas.

The relay team, comprising Isaac Makwala, Letsile Tebogo, Leungo Scotch and Bayapo Ndori finished first in heat four of the competition with a time of 2:59.73 beating South Africa who finished second with 2:59.76.

The quartet demonstrated its prowess when Tebogo, who was running second leg, received a baton from veteran Makwala who was in position seven and sprinted to position two and handed to Scotch who maintained the position, guarding South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk and handed to Ndori who then fought to the finish line past Lythe Pilliay of South Africa.

Makwala recorded a split of 47.67 and Tebogo recorded 43.49. Scotch spilt 44.62 while Ndori dropped the split to 43.95, and that resulted in Botswana recording the fastest time in the 4x400m heats.

In an interview, coach Justice Dipeba said he was happy with the team’s fighting spirit and applauded Tebogo for the brilliant second leg.

Dipeba said he had always been confident in the men’s team and with the caliber of the athletes, Botswana could compete with the world.

“Qualifying for the Olympics by a small country like Botswana is a good development. We have seen big countries struggling to make it to the Olympic but had to wait for the second chance to qualify. We are excited with our special and talented team,” he said.

He added that it was important for Botswana to look after the athletes, give them support and ensure that they were happy all through.

According to Dipeba, it was also important that as the relay team prepared for the Olympics, athletes stayed in competition and active.

“We need to keep them in competition mode and the most important thing is to keep them in that phase, but not burn them, until to get to the Olympics,” he said.

He was however happy that some of them had been invited for the Diamond Leagues, saying that alone would keep them in shape.

Dipeba emphasised the need to invest in athletes if Botswana desired to win a better medal than the bronze the relay team won in Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which were held in 2021.

“Winning a medal does not come cheap. Now this is not about Botswana Athletics Association, but the country at large,” he said.

He added that at the team prepared for the Olympics it was predominantly important for all the stakeholders to engage and plan in order for the team to get to the Olympics in good shape and challenge the colour of the medal they won at the last Olympics.

“Remember, there is not much time left and as it is, they must support with finding competitions for athletes and giving them the right personnel who would make sure that they stay healthy and fit,” Dipeba said. ENDS