SHOCK: Thebe�s injury more than a year old
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday August 26, 2016 14:48
Gaothuse said the athlete has been carrying the injury for more than a year and it was susceptible to recur.
He said the injury led to him being pulled out of the 2015 All Africa Games team. Gaothuse said when the pressure increased, it meant opening the old scar.
“After the injury had occurred, there was no proper follow up by the relevant authorities.
I cannot point out exactly who was responsible for that,” he said. Gaothuse said Thebe wanted to compete even after the first heat but they had to stop him due to the magnitude of the injury.
He said Thebe was taken to Italy due to a hamstring injury where it was treated before going for the IAAF Under 20 World Championships.
He said the arrangement at the moment is for the athlete to receive proper treatment.
“I am going to make sure that Thebe gets all the support he deserves within a month. He should go through surgery followed by rehabilitation.
We should prepare him for the next season,” said Gaothuse. The 4x400m relay coach, Justice Dipeba, meanwhile said he had to alter his strategy following injuries to Thebe and Nijel Amos.
He said that meant changing the line up which saw him starting with Isaac Makwala, followed by Karabo Sibanda.
“The plan nearly worked until the last two runners, that is where I realised that we were losing it. My plan was to lead all the way but that did not work out. It is always difficult to catch up in a race,” he said.
Dipeba said the athletes were all prepared for any lane.
He said they know that they cannot choose lanes but they are allocated according to qualification.
Meanwhile, chef de mission, Moses Moruisi said Amos had run well during the Diamond League ahead of the Olympics and they had thought it was an indication that the runner was ready to compete.
He said if they were aware of his injury they were not going to allow him to travel to Rio.
Botswana National Olympic Committee chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho said Amos had passed the fitness tests at High Performance Centre (HPC) prior to the Olympics.