Local athletes miss qualifying times
Spira Tlhankane | Wednesday June 17, 2015 18:02
The 2015 World Championships will be held in Beijing, China in August.
Team manager, Moses Raphutshe blamed the substandard performance on the extreme windy conditions in Mauritius. “The wind was a hindrance, but the athletes did their best. We will try next time,” he said. Raphutshe said athletes from nine other participating countries also failed to register qualifying times.
He, however, hailed the athletes who managed to bring home medals despite the failure to qualify for the World Championships. Only two athletes managed to bring home gold medals. Leaname Maotoanong snatched the men’s 800m gold with a time of 1:46:11 while Gobe Takobane came first in the men’s high jump with a jump of 2.10m. Still in the men’s category, Boitumelo Masilo won a silver medal in 800m with a time of 1: 52:65. Zachariah Kamberuka came second in the 400m with a time of 46:29. Karabo Sibanda snatched a bronze medal in 400m with a time 46:79. Baboloki Thebe also got a bronze medal in the 100m with a time of 10:44. The men’s 4x100m relay team consisting of Motukise, Thebe, Mothibi and Maotoanong won gold. The 4x400m relay team, which included Sibanda, Kamberuka, Maotoanong and Masilo also finished first. In the field events, Tshwanelo Aabobe won a silver medal in the triple jump with a distance of 15.25m while Aobakwe Nkobela won bronze with a distance of 6.99m in the long jump. Takobane got a silver medal with a jump of 7.06m.
In the women’s category, Leungo Matlhaku brought home a silver medal in the 200m with a time of 24:32. She also came second in the 100m race in 12:11. Goitseone Seleka won silver in the 400m while Oarabile Babolai did the same in the 400m hurdles with a time of 59:50.
The women’s 4x4 relay team made up of Seleka, Babolai, Matlhaku and Galefele Maroko won gold with a time of 3:40:84.
The qualifying time for the men’s 100m is 10:16, 200m (20:50), 400m (45:50) and 800m (1:46:00).
For women’s category, the qualifying time for 100m is 11:33, 200 (23:20), 400m (52:00), 400 hurdles (56:20) while 800m is 2:01:00.
For field events, men’s long jump qualification distance is 8.10m while the women’s qualification distance is 6.70m.
The men’s triple jump qualification distance is 16.90m while the women’s distance is 14.20m. The qualification height for the men’s high jump is 2.28m.
The qualification standards also allow athletes to qualify if they are defending world champions, a 2014 Diamond League Champion or an Area Champion. Raphutshe said athletes who have not qualified would get another shot at the upcoming events. “Some of them qualified at national level so we will push the ones who are still behind,” he added.