While focus is on the ongoing African Games taking place in Accra, Ghana, local 800m athlete, Kethobogile Haingura this evening stole the limelight when he qualified for this year's Olympic Games to be held in Paris.
Haingura clocked a world leading 1:43.94 at the Athletics South Africa Grand Prix 2 in Pretoria, which earned him a ticket to Paris. Haingura adds to five other athletes who have already qualified for the Olympics set for July. Meanwhile at the same event, star sprinter, Letsile Tebogo continued with his fine form clocking 44.29 in the 400m, which is a qualifying time for the Olympics. It is also Tebogo's personal best (PB) in the 400m. But Tebogo is unlikely to compete in the 400m at the Olympics, instead focusing on his preferred distances, the 100m and 200m. Tonight, Tebogo got off the blocks smoothly and killed off his competition in the back straight. Anthony Pesela finished in second spot with a time of 45.93, but missed out on the Olympic qualification time of 45.00. Tumo Van Wyk was third, stopping the clock at 46.05.
Speaking after the race, Tebogo said he was running 400m to check how his body responds because he has been doing a lot of training in the gym. "My plan is to rest for a week or two. My performance tonight shows that the speed is there. Everything is going according to plan. I want to compete in Diamond League Meets so that I get used to other top athletes. That will also assist me to be confident when I meet them at the Olympics," he said. Tebogo went on to say that he does not think he will run the Botswana Golden Grand Prix coming up on April 14.
