BONGANI MALUNGA
Team Botswana’s representatives for next week’s 2022 IAAF World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA have jetted off to the host nation to prepare for the tournament. Botswana’s participating track stars such as Nijel Amos, Isaac Makwala, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, Leungo Scotch, Thalosang Tshireletso, Maitseo Keitumetse, Zibani Ngozi and Anthony Pesela are all US bound to kickstart their preparations for the tournament.
Tshireletso (long jump), Amos (800m), Tebogo (100m), Pesela (400m), Ndori (400m) and Makwala (200m and 400m) will be competing in individual categories. In addition to competing in individual categories, Makwala, Pesela and Ndori will be part of the men’s 4x400m relay team.
The relay team also includes Scotch, Ngozi and Keitumetse. Botswana’s stars will be aiming to emulate Amantle Montsho who remains the only Botswana athlete to have collected medals at the World Championships. Montsho won a gold medal in 2011 in South Korea before grabbing a silver medal in the 2013 edition in Moscow, Russia.
The participating athletes will be accompanied by Justice Dipeba (coach), Kebonyemodisa Mosimanyane (assistant coach), Tshepo Kelaotswe (team manager), Amogelang Masalela (assistant manager), Violet Nthutang (psychologist) and Kabo Molefe (massage therapist). Botswana Athletics Association stated that the team will “undergo a pre-championship training camp before the commencement of the championships on July 15.”