Mixed relay team races to silver, shattering records at Africa Games!
Botswana’s mixed relay athletics team not only brought home a silver medal but also shattered the national record twice within hours at the ongoing Africa Games in Accra, Ghana.
The quartet comprising Collen Kebinatshipi, Lydia Jele, Bayapo Ndori, and Obakeng Kamberuka clinched second place after Nigeria, clocking a National Record time of 3:13.99.
Remarkably, the team set a new national record of 3:14.36 in the semifinals, surpassing the previous record set on June 10th of the previous year at 3:15.29.
This outstanding performance propelled Team Botswana to the 12th position in the World Rankings, enhancing their chances for the upcoming Bahamas World Relays in May, which features the top 16 world ranking teams.
Speaking to Voice Sports, Botswana Athletics Team Head Coach Meleko Ndolo expressed his elation at the athletes’ remarkable display.
He described it as an exciting and emotional moment for him.
“I am pleased with the bravery and determination shown by the mixed relay team. Their record-breaking feats in both the semifinals and finals were truly inspiring. These games serve as crucial qualifiers for the world relays, and our team has secured its spot. Additionally, they provide a platform for athletes to prepare for the Summer Olympic Games,” Ndolo remarked.
However, Ndolo emphasized the need for more focus on 100-meter sprints to enable local athletes to compete on a global scale.
Despite commendable efforts, Nancy Budzani missed out on a spot in the women’s 100-meter final, finishing eighth with a time of 12.29 seconds.
In the men’s 100-meter semi-finals, Thuto Masasa clocked 10.59 seconds, securing seventh place, while Calvin Omphile finished sixth with the same time.
Botswana has achieved a total of seven medals thus far at the ongoing Africa Games, including two bronzes in swimming, two bronze in Karate, one bronze in Beach Volleyball, one silver in athletics, and one bronze in Taekwondo.