Setting off for Rio

Source : Kutlwano

Author : Anastacia Sibanda

Location : Gaborone

Event : Athletics feature

After clocking 45:23 in a somewhat surrpise move to beat the qualifying 2016 Rio Olympic Games time of 45:40 in the 400m race during the Private Tertiary Institution Association Athletics Championship meet in Gaborone on March 08, Baboloki Thebe is a bunch of muscles waiting to explode with yet more surprises. Kutlwano`s Anastacia Sibanda reckons the best of him awaits Batswana in Rio de Janeiro aka “River of January” in August.

Before the 2nd African Youth Games (AYG) held in Gaborone in 2014, the name Baboloki Thebe did not ring a bell. To be specific, Baboloki was just an unknown quantity. He was just your next door boy taking chances trying to carve his name on the track.

Matters worse, as a primary school pupil, the aim on stepping on the track was just to  steal a moment enjoying the ride during school trips. Little did he know by then he was just a rough and unpolished diamond waiting to be discovered.

Thanks to Nthwalang Junior Secondary teachers at Digawana, some 15km from Lobatse, who immediately realised that with proper polishing, the diamond in him will one day sparkle and dazzle Rio de Janeiro, Brazil`s capital city, with its rays.

At Nthalwang, he was thrown into the deep end having to run 100m, 200m, 4x400m and 4x100m. Although it meant more than he bargained for, he could not master enough courage to face his teacher to protest the races were just too many. He feared he would be dropped from the school team because his mission was just to travel with the team and see different places.

Come 2013, Baboloki developed a positive mindset. He now wanted to make his mark. Travelling for fun was no longer a priority which saw him compete in the BISA national finals and scooping a silver medal in the 4x400m race.

Now that everyone started having confidence in him, Baboloki became part of the school team that travelled to Zimbabwe to compete in the Confederation of School Sport Associations of Southern Africa (COSSASA). In Zimbabwe, Baboloki saw “dust” and returned home empty handed.

However, just before the African Youth Games, he competed in COSSASA yet again and this time around he did not come home empty handed. It was the beginning of bigger things come after he won all three gold medals in 100m, 200m races as well as 200m medley relay respectively.

The cherry on top was a trophy for breaking the COSSASA 100m record thereby helping his relay team set a new COSSASA record.

At this stage, a star had been born. Now he was ready to face the world and the AYG could not have come at the right time.

The Ramonaka born lad would now polish his skills. Who would ever forget the National Stadium erupting into sudden frenzy when he hit the finish line first in the 200m final, clocking 20:85 and beating favourites Zambian Brian Kasinda and Kenya`s Geoffrey Kiprotich?

After a lacklustre performance in the heats, no one gave Baboloki a chance for a AYG podium finish. However, as things turned out, he saved the best for last. He became an instant hero and social media was awash with his name going on to scoop silver in 200m in the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympics. He beat the likes of Chad Walker Jamaican and only coming second to Lyles Noah of USA.

This earned him the 2015 Botswana National Sports Commission Junior Male Sportsperson of the Year award.

Botswana National Sports Olympic Committee is happy that Baboloki has qualified for Rio Olympics, joining Nijel Amos (800m), Isaac Makwala and Onkabetse Nkobolo (400m and 4x400m men`s relay team).

BNOC chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufo, is upbeat about Baboloki`s Rio qualification. Serufho says the young athlete has proved that through hard work anything is possible.

“If you remember very well, he was unknown just two years ago before he conquered Africa,” reckons the BNOC supremo.

Serufho says Baboloki has, over time, indicated he was a “beast” and was ready for the big stage, adding his qualification will also motivate other athletes to work even extra harder.

The BNOC chief encourages veteran athletes to work extra harder as it is now evident youngster come guns blazing to take over.

Meanwhile, Baboloki`s coach, Mogomotsi Otsetswe, is over the moon the athlete has finally proved his mettle in 400m, adding although people were shocked that he managed to qualify for 400m, personally he saw it coming.

“I have been preparing him for 200m by making him run 400m and I then realised he`s got potential in both races, that`s why I was not shocked,” reckons Otsetswe.
Otsetswe says Baboloki`s success lies in the fact that he follows instructions which he complements with power, speed and good posture. Baboloki beat 400m specialists Isaac Makwala who finished position two with 45:58, Karabo Sibanda with 46:32 and Boitumelo Masilo with 46:58 to qualify for Rio.