Interesting excerpts from ‘The Solo Runner’
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday December 11, 2021 06:00
The book has 13 parts with a foreword by Olympic gold medallist and World record holder, Yohan Blake. There are three parts of the book that grab attention being Makwala’s peak performance, Makwala and the Media, The 2015 Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) Awards and the 2016 Durban Africa Senior Championships.
Makwala’s peak performance: Makwala mentioned in his book that he officially joined coach Justice Dipeba’s (Coach JD) camp at the beginning of the 2012-2013 season. Following the London 2012 Olympic Games, Makwala came home for the post-Olympic Games festivities and also to spend time with his family.
While in Botswana, he approached coach JD and officially requested to join his camp. Coach JD’s intentions to work with Makwala were never about winning medals, but building his character.
He was sceptical at first but took a decisive decision to put him under his wing. “Like I said before, his character was questionable. He would be making noise at night, switching off WIFI in Senegal, bullying young athletes here, and disturbing the camp. That was basically my concern and never thought I would work with him. But then I thought, maybe I need to get him under my wing and get him to be the right person and put him in the right mind,” Coach JD said in the book.
Makwala and the media: Makwala is undoubtedly one of the most controversial athletes to ever represent Botswana at major games. He describes himself as a straightforward guy. He is known for speaking his mind regardless of the circumstances.
“If something is bothering me, I just speak it, it does not matter who you are! I know most people do not like me because I speak the truth. Let me give you an example, I once posted something on Facebook about my training on a dirt ground behind UB Stadium. The UB Stadium and National Stadium were both closed due to the COVID-19 and I was not allowed to use any of them,” Makwala said. I posted pictures of myself preparing for the Olympic Games on the dirty ground. The former Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) CEO did not like my Facebook post. He sent someone to talk to me about it.
But it was the truth. I was preparing for the Olympic Games on the dirty ground. The BNOC had failed to facilitate for out training when stadiums were closed due to COVID-19, while other countries were training. Makwala confronted a certain journalist for biased reporting. He states in the book that when he started doing well in his career, the journalist befriended him and his coach.
At the time Makwala was happy with the reporting. The relationship took a major turn when the journalist began to pit Makwala against Baboloki Thebe and Karabo Sibanda. “I supported and appreciated Baboloki and Karabo as junior athletes when they first joined the national team. But things did not go well later in the years. I treated them like my own brothers, if they had any problem they always came to me for advice until the media tore us apart. I even gave one of them running attire,” Makwala said.
The 2015 BNSC Awards and 2016 Durban Africa Senior Championships: The BNSC has hosted the Annual Sport Awards for over 40 years. The most prestigious of the awards is the Sport Person of the Year award. Makwala was nominated twice, in 2015 and 2017 for the Sport Man of the Year award. Makwala lost the 2015 award to Zibani Chikanda.
At the time of the adjudication, Makwala was ranked number two in the world, won gold medals at all races, African Games, broke African records, qualified for the 2016 Olympics and reached the finals at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, China.
He was tipped to win the higher award, Sport Person of the Year.
The 2015 awards were Makwala’s first. His coach got a call from a BNSC official to arrange Makwala’s travels and accommodation to the awards. Makwala was in Düsseldorf, Germany. Following the discussion, Makwala travelled to London to prepare for his race and waited for his e-ticket to the awards. The e-ticket was never sent! Makwala called the BNSC official but the official did not answer the phone for two days.
Then, Makwala reached out to coach JD, so he can call or go to the BNSC offices in person. Hours later he got a message. “Who told you that we would be flying you? We are not flying anyone to the awards,” That was the first red flag. The BNSC somersaulted on their initial decision to fly him to the awards.
“That award was used to punish him because of what he did that year. He was called back from Europe to come to Botswana because there were rumours that they were trying to change citizenship,” JD said.
Following the awards, Makwala was devastated. He confided in his coach, who has become his close mentor. He swore never to attend the BNSC awards, and he has never attended. He won the 2017 sport man of the year award and had someone pick the award on his behalf. Coach JD believes the treatment Makwala got from the BNSC affected his performance and behaviour towards the BNSC and the BNOC.
The fallout between Makwala and the BNSC spilt out in the public. The biggest fallout was at the 2016 Africa Senior Championships in Durban.
In the last 10 metres, Makwala turned to look around, including at the stands and then intentionally walked across the line. “During my final race, I saw those guys (BNSC leadership), they were all there. Bobby and others were there. I got frustrated and said no! I am going to walk this one,” Makwala said in his biography.