An era of domination has arrived

Shortly after 9:05 pm on Monday, August 29, 2011, Botswana recorded one of her most consequential sporting moments. It was in South Korea’s fourth-largest metropolitan city of Daegu that Amantle Montsho, almost under the radar, delivered Botswana’s first world athletics title.

Montsho was crowned world champion after edging out the favourite, Allyson Felix of America, a moment that has triggered a ripple effect, still felt to date. Montsho’s time of 49.56 seconds produced a national record, but the significant statistic that stood out is that in under a minute, the seconds dramatically altered Botswana’s athletics landscape.