Recovered Sebele eyes London berth
Kabelo Boranabi | Thursday March 16, 2017 15:07
The 24-year-old finished third behind Malaysian Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli and South African Tamzin Thomas missing the qualification time of 11.26s at the ASA Speed Series meet held in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Speaking to Mmegi Sport from Johannesburg, Sebele said qualifying for the London Championships is her ultimate goal after recovering from an injury that kept her out the whole of 2016 season. “I trust God to help me reach the qualifying time and get me there.
Yes, I would like to qualify for the games. Hard work and consistency have been the key with the positive support system from friends and family. My coach has been really great at pushing me to do the best,” she said.
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) Athletics Club runner, who has been with the club since 2015, revealed that she hopes her recent displays will catch the eyes of national team selectors and hopes to be part of national team set up for the first time since 2015 at the All Africa Games held in Congo-Brazzaville. “I was last part of the national team in 2015 at the All Africa Games. I’m not really in constant communication with coaches back home, but I believe they are somehow aware of my performances,” she said.
Under the tutelage of 2001 World Championships 4x100m really gold medallist Morne Nagel, Sebele won gold in the 100m and 200m at the UJ & Kwalu Invitational Athletics Meeting in February.
She ran 11.68 seconds in 100m, which is her second best time. She won a silver medal at SSA championship held in Polokwane and reached the finals and semi-finals of the 100m and 200m events respectively at the Congo-Brazzaville games in 2015.
Meanwhile, Baboloki Thebe got his season to a bright start after recovering from an injury that forced him to pull out of the Olympic Games last year.
The world youth fastest 400m runner, ran 44.90s in Francistown over the weekend.
Sebele will be looking to join a team of five athletes who have already qualified for the World Championships including Thebe, Nijel Amos, Lydia Jele, Karabo Sibanda and former world champion Amantle Montsho.
On the sidelines remain Boitumelo Masilo, Isaac Makwala and Christine Botlogetswe who stand a better chance to make it for the games before the qualification deadline on July 23.