- Tebogo is unfazed as he faces the man who beat him in the 100m in Gabs recently, Ferdinand Omanyala
- Whatever the outcome, Ndori’s Diamond League debut will be a veritable baptism of fire because of the seasoned 400m runners that he faces, among them Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas
GAZETTE REPORTER
Botswana’s track duo, Letsile Tebogo and Bayapo Ndori, will square up against the world’s top-ranked athletes at the highly-anticipated second Diamond League series of the season billed for Rabat, Morocco this weekend.
The event will take place on Sunday 28 May at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Tebogo will compete in 100m race where he will be pitted against the best in the world, including Yohan Blake (Jamaica), Trayvon Bromell, Fred Kerley (USA), Akani Simbine (South Africa), Marcell Lamont Jacobs (Italy), Andre De Grasse (Canada) and Ferdinand Omanyala (Kenya).
Ace of the tracks
He heads into the race with a Personal Best (PB) time of 9.91 seconds that he clocked at the recent Botswana Golden Grand Prix in Gaborone last month.
Botswana’s ace of the tracks faces particularly tough competition from Omanyala who recently beat him in the 100m at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix with a time of 9.78, reigning World Champion and Olympics silver medallist Kerley (9.76) and Olympics champion Jacobs (PB 9.80).
In a recent interview at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, Tebogo told Gazette Sports that he was working on his transition from junior to senior competition where he is yet to find his feet. “My main focus is my transition to senior competition,” he said.
“I won’t be intimidated”
“I am not under any pressure even though I am wary of the threat and competition that my rivals are posing. I will be taking every race as it comes and will do my best in Rabat. I know the world will be watching but I won’t be intimidated by any name as I prepare for the World Championships coming in two months’ time.”
Ndori’s Diamond debut
Ndori is set to make his Diamond League debut since qualifying for the World Championships with a time of 44.61 in March. He will be facing tough competition from seasoned 400m runners such as Steven Gardiner (Bahamas), Vernon Norwood (USA), Matthew Hudson Smith (Britain) and Rusheen McDonald (Jamaica).
He previously gained much-needed experience by qualifying for the 2022 World Championships finals in Oregon, USA and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
Both Tebogo and Ndori are under the tutelage of Coach Kebonyemodisa Mosimanyane who is adamant that his athletes have what it takes to face the world’s best.