Like fine wine, Makwala mellows with age
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday May 21, 2021 18:17
Makwala engraved his name into athletics history books when he qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in two disciplines of 200m and 400m over the weekend.
To the 34-year-old, it was more than just qualifying for the biggest sporting tournament in the world. It was about pushing boundaries and demonstrating that age was nothing but a number. Normally, there are early bloomers in sprints who reach their peak in their 20s and then start to hit a decline. But with Makwala it has been the opposite as he hits the accelerator at the ripe age of 34. It is a stage where most athletes, except for a few, will be winding their careers, while it is also a stage when most are prone to injuries.
One of the track stars, Linford Christie of Great Britain ran until late. Undoubtedly Europe’s greatest ever 100m sprinter, Christie won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics at the age of 32 years.
Running at that level when you are old takes a lot from your body. Usually, athletes do not have more than 24 hours to rest from heats to the second round to semi-finals and when your body is older by the time you push it to the finals, there would be nothing left at the time when it matters most and any athlete expects a podium finish.
A consultant in occupational medicine and specialist sport physician, Dr Odiseng Lesedinyana attributes Makwala’s longevity to top conditioning. “This is not surprising but an indication that when he started his career, his training was not of top-level.
Right now he is exposed to the best training and coaches. He has good nutrition, which powers his body. He also used scientific methods of training,” he told Mmegi Sport. Athletics coach, Lebone Moreri said athletes never rest.
He explained it is the first time that there has been a 12 months rest in international competitions. “For Makwala it has really worked for him because he did not compete and his muscles are fully recovered,” he said.
Moreri said Makwala still could run faster than he did at the national championship. However, he warned that the athlete should not do more than two races. Another coach, Chilume Ntshwarang said Makwala leads a healthy lifestyle, hence his prolonged stay on the track. “He does not drink or smoke. Even during the lockdown, he was training. He is a machine right now.
Lifestyle plays a major role. As an athlete, you need to recover but others are not able to rest because they combine being professional athletes and showbiz,” he said.
Ntshwarang said Makwala’s lifestyle is the same as that of top athletes in other countries. He explained that Makwala still has a lot to offer and even next year he stands a chance to compete at the World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games. He said probably maybe he would start slowing down after next year.
Speaking to Mmegi Sport, Makwala said he does not believe in age. “Sometimes I forget my age. My focus is on how my body is reacting. When I am in good shape, I am happy. Age is just a number, it has nothing to do with my performance,” he said. Makwala added it is important to focus because running is like any other job.