Clear signs of fatigue were evident as Leungo Scotch and Collen Kebinatshipi finished last in their respective heats. Compounding the issue, Bayapo Ndori, previously considered a contender for the final, suffered an injury and was unable to complete the race. Subsequently, he has been withdrawn from the men’s 4x400m relay.
The underperformance of the 400m runners has raised concerns about fatigue amongst the athletes. Chilume Ntshwarang, the senior national team coach, conveyed to Mmegi Sport that controlling the number of races athletes partake in is challenging.
"They have been competing in European circuits to make money. It is difficult to stop them. We can only try to request their managers and coaches to reduce the number of races ahead of major competitions like the World Athletics Championships. We should try to meet each other halfway," he stated. Ntshwarang acknowledged the challenge of requesting athletes to refrain from competing, particularly due to the lack of financial compensation. "This is a wake-up call; we need to manage how they compete.
They are competing with the same athletes that they have been meeting in other competitions such as Vernon Norwood, who has competed in every race in Europe. He remains strong. Maybe we are getting into that level and our athletes are gaining experience," he commented. Highlighting the importance of maintaining the necessary fitness level for elite competitions, Ntshwarang stressed that certain athletes possess advanced recovery systems that Botswana athletes lack.
"As a country, we need to invest in recovery processes like other countries that have recovery processes for their athletes. Other countries invest a lot in the medical team to assist the team. We should not just depend on massage therapists or physiotherapists," he emphasised. Chilume noted that scientific advancements are lagging in Botswana. Both Scotch and Ndori have had an arduous season, participating in the World Championships in Oregon the previous year, the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Continental Tours Meets, and the Diamond League circuits.
According to a paper authored by Dr. Jeffrey Halbrecht and Dr. Ephraim Dickinson at the Institute for Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine in San Francisco, most running-related injuries share a common factor: excessive running. The high temperatures in Budapest further exacerbated the situation, as the team had insufficient time to acclimatise. Organisers were compelled to relocate certain events due to the extreme temperatures. The Botswana Athletics Association faces the challenge of managing the number of races athletes partake in ahead of major competitions.
