4x400m ladies relay team to pay the price for sluggish start
A slow start to the season from Botswana’s female 400m runners could cost the relay team a place at this year’s World Athletics Relays in Bahamas.
Unimpressed with the sluggish times being set by the women, Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) has warned the 400m ladies they will be left behind if they don’t speed up fast.
With 21-year-old Obakeng Kamberuka the only woman to run under 55 so far this year, the local ladies are currently way off the required pace – to qualify for the Olympics, a time of 50.95 is required.
“Our preparations are on going through our weekly competitions which we host. For now we haven’t included the ladies 4×400m team in the list for Bahamas because their times are still very unsatisfactory. If the 400m ladies do satisfy us between now and the competition we will not send them,” warned BAA Vice President, Oabona Theetso.
Since the great Amantle Montsho, 40, hung up her spikes three years ago, women’s 400m running in Botswana has endured a torrid time, with not a single athlete qualifying for the last two World Championships.
According to Theetso, as it stands, BW will send the men’s 4x400m, 4x100m (men and women) and a mixed 4x400m to the Bahamas capital, Nassau, for the World Relays on 4 -5 May.
The event acts as a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics in August.
The men’s 4x400m team have a proud record at the global event, finishing third in Silesia, Poland in 2021. Three months later, Isaac Makwala and co famously followed this up with Olympic bronze in Japan.
They also have fond memories of the Bahamas, winning silver at the World Relays in 2017.
With Makwala retired, this time the nation’s hopes lie with: Baboloki Thebe, Leungo Scotch, Bayapo Ndori, Collen Kebinatshipi, Zibani Ngozi and Anthony Pesela.
For the men’s 100m relay prospects, the team will be built around Letsile Tebogo, with the likes of Thuto Masasa, Keene Motukisi, Thabiso Sekgopi and Karabo Mothibi helping carry the baton.
