I was not under pressure - Tebogo
Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday April 23, 2024 08:44
Tebogo finished second to Courtney Lindsey of United States of America (USA) with both athletes clocking 19.71s.
The performance saw Tebogo setting his season's best time for 200m. Lindsey recorded a world lead (WL) of 19.71s (-1.5) dropping his record from 19.88s, which he set a few weeks back. Speaking after the race, Tebogo said he had no pressure competing at the Kip Keino Classic and it was all about having fun on the track. “I had fun competing today (Saturday), I was absolutely under no pressure. I believe the fans have gotten what they came for,” Tebogo said.
In the men’s 400m race, Bayapo Ndori powered to a world lead (WL) of 44.10s setting a new meeting record (MR) and a new personal best (PB). ‘Zim Dollar’ as he is known by his legion of fans, improved his PB from 44.61s. His team mate and training partner, Leungo Scotch finished in the third position stopping the clock at 44.54s, which was his new PB. Another Botswana athlete, Tumo Van Wyk, who has been included in the 20 men provisional team preparing for the World Athletics Relays to be held in Bahamas in May, finished the race in position six clocking 46.13s.
For his part, Ndori said it was a tough race but he managed to improve his personal best.
“Despite the tough competition I faced, I managed to set a new world lead of 44.10s. I am looking forward to the season ahead. I am hoping to win a medal this season,” Ndori said. Tumo Nkape finished in position six dropping a new PB of 1:45.95 in the men’s 800m, a race that was claimed by Emmanuel Wanyonyi with a world lead of 1:43.57. It was a tough day in the office in the women’s side, with Oratile Nowe registering 2:00.67 to finish in position six in the women’s 800m, a race that was comfortably won by Kenyan, Mary Moraa, setting a new meeting record of 1:57.96 in front of her home crowd.
Rising star, Obakeng Kamberuka finished in position four with a time of 52.85s in the women’s 400m race. Galefele Moroko continued to struggle settling for position seven with a time of 53.79s. Meanwhile, Botswana’s only representative at the Diamond League season opener at the Xiamen stadium in China, Tshepiso Masalela powered to position three, with a new personal best of 1:43.88 for the men’s 800m. The performance was an improvement from his previous PB of 1:44.03, which he registered in September 2023. Masalela has already stamped his ticket to Paris 2024 Olympic Games.