Matlhaku credits coach after record-breaking feat

Matlhaku broke the national record in the 100 metres race last weekend after clocking 11.24 seconds during the Sports View meet.

Interestingly, the previous record-holder was Lydia Jele who is Ofentse’s wife. Lydia’s national record of 11.39 has been standing since 2014. “Since the beginning of the year, the coach has been pushing me so hard. He has not only worked on my technical aspect ahead of the race but did well to psyche me up for the weekend race. He deserves much credit for my weekend achievement,” she said. Matlhaku said that she did not expect to break the record. “My focus was on doing well because I have not been competitive for some time. Breaking the record came as a surprise to me,” she said. Matlhaku was quick to point out that she would not get carried away by her new achievement. “There is still a long way to go. My goal is to qualify for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. I want to build from my performance and prepare for the upcoming Olympic qualifying races.”