The coaches faced a backlash from supporters for changing the line-up in the final of the relay, which saw Tebogo Letsile anchoring. Some supporters felt that the team could have won a gold medal, only if he kept the same line-up from the semi-final heats. However, Ntshwarang explained that they (technical team) can pick the same relay line-up again anytime. Ntshwarang told SportMonitor that this was the greatest 4x400m relay the world has ever seen and he is very proud of them. “We have amazing potential; we can only get better. We are ready to take on the rest of the world,” he said. The team powered to 2:54.53, which is a new African Record (AR) on Saturday evening. For the first in history, Botswana has won two medals in a single edition of Olympic Games. The relay silver medal is an addition to gold medal that was won by Letsile Tebogo in the men’s 200m race.
The last time Botswana set an AR was in 2021 where they registered 2:577.02. The silver medal is a promotion from the bronze medal that they won at the Tokyo 2020. The gold medal went to United States of America (USA), setting a new Olympic Record (OR) of 2:54.43. Great Britain settled for bronze, also setting a European Record of 2:55.83. The quartet proved that they were the fastest ever to be assembled by this country, with Tebogo (anchor) split of 43.03 joining the top 10 all time list. The list includes American retired sprinter and Olympic 400m record holder, Michael Johnson, who produced a split of 42.94 in the 4x400m relay. Other relay team members also exploded from the blocks to register fast splits, Bayapo Ndori (44.30) in first leg, Collen Kebinatshipi (43.40) in second leg and Anthony Pesela (43.03) in third leg.
Meanwhile, 800m superstar, Tshepiso Masalela finished in position seven with a massive personal best (PB) of 1:52. 82. The title went to Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who gave his country to defend the title they have been winning since 2008. Ntshwarang said they expected Masalela to finish the race in the top three, whatever was to happen although 800m is an unpredictable race. “It was a fast race, he outdid himself, and on a different year, he could have taken a medal even gold medal was possible. Rio and Tokyo Olympic Games he could have been the champion. He clocked a massive PB, there is nothing we can say, he is on another level. Masalela is classified in the top eight 800m runners in the world. That is why from now onwards, he will always be part of the top Diamond League Meets, he is now an elite runner and part of those top runners,” Ntshwarang said.
