Dj vu sweeps across after Glasgow nightmare

407,Mqondisi Dube,php794.tmp.jpg,2013/october/01,2013-10-01 09:53:00, | Saturday May 31, 2014 00:00

First up, it was Pako Seribe who laboured to seventh place in his 400metre semi final race. Not much was expected from the up and coming runner.

The nation’s soaring expectations were (mis) placed on the on-form Isaac Makwala. The strong runner had effortlessly blasted his way to the semi finals, on the back of some outstanding performances in the last month. Makwala has looked gold coated since he arrived in Scotland, drawing rave reviews from British commentators.

But when his moment of reckoning arrived, Makwala read from Amantle Montsho’s 2012 London Olympics script. He had appeared on course to book his place in the finals as he burst clear with 100m to go.

But the slow motion that has cruelly haunted local sprinters at international events, struck again with depressing impact. Makwala, who has often performed with a delicious sense of fluidity, took the nation through some horror closing seconds as he withered towards the finishing line. It is an all too familiar scene, and Montsho has been the perfect actor in a role that is suddenly appearing contagious.

Earlier in the day, 2012 London Olympics silver medallist, Nijel Amos hit the pause button as he was about to cross the line and a comfortable lead ended up delivering second position.

He later took to social networks arguing he had deliberately slowed down to reserve his energy for the next race. But for a nation in the grip of last minute heartaches, Amos’ clumsy end to the heat heightened another feeling of déjà vu. At the London Olympics, Montsho watched as her golden moment slipped through her head after she failed to dip at the finish. It was not the only race, Montsho has remained ‘up right’ when it appeared a head dip was the easier way over the line.

Ironically, the ‘head ghost’, which Montsho has thus far failed to exorcise, returned to haunt her on Tuesday night. 

Her regular Jamaica irritants were again present on Tuesday, but it was Montsho who grabbed the early opportunity.

Her take off was clean, raising hopes of a second successive gold at the Commonwealth Games.  As she turned to face the finish line, the horror moment struck with familiar Jamaican footsteps thumping the ground behind her. Novlene Williams-Mills had joined Montsho in pole position as they ate away the last 50metres.

With about 20metres to go, while focus was on Montsho and Williams-Mills, another Jamaican, Stephanie McPherson whistled past unnoticed.

Now Montsho was battling after a promising start and Christine Day ensured an all-Jamaican podium finish when he pipped the Botswana athlete right at the finish line. Again Montsho was undone by a head dip as Day was a fraction quicker.

 Now, like in London two years ago, a forlorn nation’s hopes are on the tall, slender frame of Nijel Amos. He remains the country’s realistic hope of salvaging something from the wreckage of a dismal outing in Glasgow.

When the 18-member team left, the target was seven medals but hopes were effectively crashed during the nightmarish 30minutes on Tuesday.