Haingura: From the clutches of Okavango Delta to the world
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday November 17, 2025 06:00
Growing up in a hamlet where the main activities are a mix of fishing, farming, hunting, and gathering, Ketlhobogile Haingura never imagined he would someday be in the spotlight.
But from this secluded area, the soft-spoken athlete has emerged as one of the world's best middle-distance runners.
Haingura made his Olympic Games debut at the Paris 2024, where he finished in position seven, and this year he was a first-timer at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where he reached the semi-finals. His breakthrough came in 2019 during the BISA National Championships in Francistown, where he represented Ghowa Junior Secondary School (JSS).
It was during these competitions that he caught the eye of athletics development coach, Max Ndolo.
According to Haingura, he developed a passion for athletics as a Standard Six pupil at Ghowa Primary School during school competitions.
He tells MmegiSport that he realised his talent whilst at Ghowa JSS, a gift his teacher (Mr Marewa) complimented.
“I did not pass my Form Three, which meant I did not proceed to senior secondary school. I stayed home for a month without doing anything, until I learnt that Ndolo wanted me to join Maun BDF Athletics Club, which is now called Maun Track and Field Athletics Club,” he explains.
“I did not waste time and travelled to Maun because I knew that academically I was not gifted. My future was on the (running) track. In 2023, I was training and competing from Maun, and the following year I became the national champion in the 1,500m.”
Haingura’s hard work attracted the eye of coaches, who invited him to the Sepeng Athletics Project in Pretoria, where he joined Tshepiso Masalela in 2024.
However, he lowered his personal best over 800 metres to 1:45.53 in Tshwane in March 2024. He won the 800m at the Athletics South Africa Grand Prix Meet in Pretoria in March 2024 with a time of 1:43.94.
The time met the 2024 Paris Olympics qualifying standard and was the fastest 800m ever run in South Africa's meet. Haingura finished fifth in the 800m at the Rabat Diamond League in May.
“I was really terrified during my first and second Diamond League races, and it was tough to race against the likes of Marco Arop and Emmanuel Wanyonyi. My coach advised me that I should not be afraid of them, because they could motivate and push me.
“I learnt a lot from them. I used the same confidence when we met at the World Athletics Championships. Next season I will be ready for them,” says Haingura.
The 27-year-old reveals his coach is like a father to him, and they share the same house. He says his coach always encourages him to believe in himself and work hard.
“At home, I had some challenges. When I got home from school, I will be sent on errands. I also used to walk from the stadium to our house. The situation made life difficult for me, but here in Pretoria, life is good. Next season I want to improve my performance,” Haingura adds.
He says his life has transformed for the better, particularly financially, as he can take care of himself and his family at Ghowa.
For his part, Ndolo explains he first came into contact with Haingura in 2019 in Francistown.
He then made a follow-up on the athlete through the Ghowa JSS sports master and managed to get a relative of the athlete's number to get through to Haingura in Maun.
“I made arrangements for him to be brought to Maun, and I took care of him, and he turned into an Olympian. I converted him from 3,000m and 5,000m to 800m. The boy has talent, even if we can take him to 1,500m and 3,000m, he can win a medal on the world stage,” Ndolo narrates.
Meanwhile, Haingura’s coach, Samuel Sepeng, says Haingura is a quiet person.
He observes that he follows instructions, and they have never argued. Sepeng says, just like everybody else, there are challenges outside sport that sometimes affect him.
“He likes sport, he likes to attack all the time and put everything on the line. This year, we wanted him to run the Diamond League, which he did. We wanted him to be consistent, and he ran 1:43.00 a couple of times.
“We wanted him to qualify for the World Athletics Championships; he was part of the team. He competed in the Grand Slam Track and Field League, where he showed character. We are happy about his performance because we only started working with him last season. We expect more (out of him) from next season,” Sepeng says.
FACT FILE Full names: Ketlhobogile Haingura Date of birth: December 14, 1998 Place of birth: Ghowa Sport: Athletics Discipline: Middle-distance runner Club: Sepeng Athletics Project (Pretoria) Achievements: March 2023: Finished third in 800m at Botswana Golden Grand Prix. May 2023: Runner-up over 800m and 1,500m at the Botswana National Championships. May 2024: Won Botswana National Championships over 1,500m. June 2024: Won Silver in the 800m at the Africa Senior Championships in Douala, Cameroon. August 2024: Competed in the 800m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. September 2025: 800m semi-finalist at World Athletics Championships.