Botswana’s 400m and 200m runner, Isaac Makwala, has officially announced his retirement from professional athletics this Monday.
‘Badman’ as Makwala is affectionately known, will retire after the World Athletics Championships that will be held at Oregon next year.
The 36-year-old Tutume born legend has engaged Makwala Cup Challenge Committee to manage his retirement activities.
When addressing the media this week, Makwala Challenge Publicity Secretary Dr Christopher Nyanga, said all the other remaining competitions that he will be participating in this year, and next, will be his last. He said Makwala is a veteran athlete who is now ready to coach and mentor new and upcoming athletes.
“The Makwala Challenge Cup, of which Makwala is the patron, was formed through festive football tournaments in Tutume, in an endeavor to recognize and honour this great legend. This was after he was ill-treated and eventually made to run alone at a world athletic competition, where he still defied all the odds set against him, and won, in the process making us proud as a country. We are making a call to all people of this country to make contributions towards a well-deserved great send-off being planned for this great son of the soil. We will in due course announce the date of the grand send off,” said Nyanga.
For his part, Makwala thanked Batswana for the support they have given him in his athletics journey that spans more than 10 years. He says it has not been easy, given the not so friendly terrain that any athlete undergoes.
“Ours is a career that depends on the health and well being of the athlete. If you are unwell and unfit, it means that you cannot and will not win. When you don’t win, it means you will not make enough to support yourself and your family. When you go on sick leave, you will not be paid any money for being on sick leave as happens with other jobs. Unlike wisdom and wine which become better with age, athletic speed reduces as one grows older. I am therefore, at that stage where I am not getting faster than I have been,” said Makwala.