Athlete Balemogi clears the hurdles
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday July 17, 2020 07:48
The 19-year-old specialises in the 400m and has already made his mark after he qualified for the World Junior Championships, which were scheduled for July.
However, due to the global outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Balemogi’s continued introduction to the global stage has been delayed. Kenya was due to host the global junior competition.
Born at Letsholathebe village in the North East District, Balemogi had to overcome an ailment at a young age, to pursue his dream. His talent came to the full fore at Ramoja Junior Secondary School at Moroka in 2014.
Despite his love for athletics, one of his teachers wanted him to play football. “During my three years at junior school, I was doing 100m, 200m, 400m and medley relay. I was their finisher because of my 400m techniques,” he said.
Balemogi was supposed to proceed to Masunga Senior Secondary School, but due to his sport talent, he moved to McConnell College in Tutume in 2017.
It was at McConnell where he met former Nijel Amos coach, Kereleng Mafefe. He was still running 200m and 400m and knew nothing about hurdles.
“Mafefe introduced me to hurdles because he felt that I had the power for 400m. I was just trying and I did well. I finished in the second position during the 2017 BISA National Championships that were held in Francistown,” he said.
That was the beginning of a promising hurdles career as he qualified for the Confederation of Schools Sports Association of Southern Africa
(COSASA) Games held in Zimbabwe in 2017. Balemogi scooped gold medals in hurdles and 300m medley relay.
“That was my ticket to the 2017 Under-18 World Junior Championships in Kenya. I went there with the senior national relay team that travelled to Bahamas. In Nairobi, I ran the mixed relay,” he said.
Balemogi continued to shine and scooped hurdles gold medals during the 2017 Botswana Games and silver in the 4x400m relay representing the Central District.
He started specialising in hurdles in 2018 and managed to qualify for the COSASA Games, where he won gold.
“I won gold in the 400m and medley relay. I also walked away with a bronze in the 110m hurdles. I qualified for the 2018 African Youth Games in Algeria and came home with a bronze,” he said.
He, together with Bernard Olesitse, qualified for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, which were held in Buenos Aires.
“It was difficult for me because I was supposed to sit for my Form Five final examinations. So the focus was back home and to me being at the Youth Olympics was just for experience,” he said. The youngster was part of the 2018 AUSC Region V Games team, where he won a bronze medal. Balemogi took a break from competition part of last year, in order to build his speed, he said.
“In 2019, I was admitted at University of Botswana. I started training under national team coach, Justice Dipeba. At the 2019 Botswana Games I walked away with two gold [medals] for 400m and 110m hurdles. I also won junior men’s 4x400m bronze. That was when I booked myself a place at the 2020 World Junior Championships. The competition was scheduled for July 7 to 12,” Balemogi said.
For his part, Dipeba said Balemogi is very keen about athletics.
“He wants to do well. He always comes to me after training to get feedback on his workouts. Naturally, he is a strong young man. Since he joined our camp, I have seen a lot of improvement,” he said.
Dipeba said Balemogi has been running personal bests in almost every race before the pandemic struck.
He said they were looking forward to some good times at the World Junior Championships.
Dipeba said the competition has been postponed and it is tricky because some of the athletes like Balemogi would miss the opportunity, as age would rule him out of the next junior championships.
Before the COVID-19 outbreak, Balemogi competed in Francistown and did a PB (personal best) in 400m flat and another PB of 52.84 in 400m hurdles putting him second fastest in Africa this year.
He returned to Gaborone and ran another PB of 48.09 in 400m and another PB in 400m hurdles of 52.58.
“My motivation comes from my family and now I am lucky because I train with senior team athletes such as Isaac Makwala and Christine Botlogetswe. Discipline is also important. My dream is to compete in major events such as Olympics and World Championships,” he said.
He added hurdles do not get enough attention locally and they can have only two events a year.
Meanwhile, Balemogi was nominated in three categories (best freshman, sportsman of the year and sports star of the year) in the UB Sports and Recreation awards held yesterday.
FACT FILE
Full names: Kealeboga Balemogi
Date of birth: February 7, 2001
Place of birth: Letsholathebe
Sport: Athletics