Makwala ready for national team duty
Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday April 9, 2024 08:11
Makwala was the starter for the Jwaneng athletics club 4x400m relay team alongside Letsile Tebogo for team Botswana.
Jwaneng finished in the second position in 3:03.56 while team Botswana stopped the clock in 3:02.97. Other members for Team Botswana were Leungo Scotch, Bayapo Ndori, anchored by Tumo van Wyk. The event was supposed to have been attended by teams from other countries such as Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, but none of them attended.
Makwala told SportMonitor that he is the best relay starter in the country and he remains the same to date. “I am still in shape even if they can call me for the national team I am available. Other athletes are also in good shape. When you look at Team Botswana, which Tebogo was competing for, they are all Sub 45’s. We have a strong pool of athletes for relays; we can change teams in all the heats at the World Athletics Relays,” Makwala said. Jwaneng team member, Boitumelo Masilo, said the race was all about checking fitness and the bodies responded and they are ready for the next challenge.
Masilo said they need experience in the team that is to include Makwala in the line-up. “Makwala said he was retiring, you saw that he still has the best start. When we have him in the team at international competitions, other countries respect us and that works for us. He has experience and remember that last time at the 2021 World Athletics relays in Poland, he was teaching us baton exchange. If it was according to me, I was going to appoint him national team coach for relays,” Masilo said. For his part, Tebogo said they wanted to have fun on the track after spending a week without training.
He explained that they were supposed to make time trials during the week and when they learnt about the relays, they decided to go for them. “The boys are in good condition; everything is coming up well ahead of the World Athletics Relays. In our camp everything is going according to plan, no injuries and I can tell that even at other athletes’ camps, things are fine,” he said. Meanwhile, South African based van Wyk said he came to the event to push time for the 4x100m relays team, later on they decided to take part in the 4x400m competition because they wanted to push the national team.
“We did well in the 4x100m relay despite not having had time to train for it because I am based in South Africa. I came a day before the competition. We registered a good time. From here I am going back to Potchefstroom to prepare for the upcoming competitions. This year, my target is the World Athletics relays, the Africa Senior Championships and the Olympics will be a bonus,” he said. The senior women 4x400m title was scooped by Team Botswana clocking 3:40.70 followed by the Lion’s Dan bringing home a time of 4:03.36 while the BDF Athletics Club finished third on 4:05.13.
Team Botswana, which comprised of Murangi Refilwe, Tsaone Sebele, Winnie Sarefho and Nancy Budzwani, dominated the women’s 4x100m relay stopping the clock at 45.02. Jwaneng came second in 48.44 with Lefika Athletics Club finishing third on 48.92. The event organiser, Thari Mooketsi, said relays went according to plan although other countries did not turn up. He said if other countries were present, the 4x100m relay teams could have qualified for the World Athletics Relays. He regretted that sponsorship eluded them.