Without the backbone of last year's gold medal winning trio of Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori and Collen Kebinatshipi, the new crop delivered in stunning fashion. The young team relied on the calming influence of the only surviving member from winning quartet at the 2024 Bahamas World Relays, Leungo Scotch. The team brought home a bronze medal that under the circumstances feels like gold and above all, they delivered a statement performance that defied odds and confirmed Botswana as one of the leading nations over the one lap. After Tebogo, Ndoro and Kebinatshipi ditched the side at the 11th hour, the nation was crestfallen, but out of adversity, new heroes were born. The experienced Scotch literally took over the baton and with the aid of Lee Eppie, Justice Oratile and Kabo Rankgwe ensured the bronze was on its way to Botswana with a season's best of 2.58.19. Victor Ntweng was part of the team which secured top position in the heats with a time of 3.01.23. In the final, South Africa took the gold in 2.57.50 while Belgium went home with the silver after recording a time of 2.58.19.
"We are very, very excited. We are over the moon, looking at the fact that this is a team that a lot of Batswana had doubted. It's a very young team with little experience except (for) Scotch," team coach, Justice Dipeba told MonitorSport "We were able to calm down the team and make them understand that this was their time to step up and show the world what they can do. And they came to the party, and it was the biggest thing that they didn't doubt themselves. It contributed to what you saw on Saturday and Sunday. They were inspired by what the previous team did at the World Relays, at the Olympics," he added. Hope was almost lost when the three key athletes dropped out of the team but Dipeba said they always had belief in the team they had. "People doubted us but we believed. We did a few tests and we said if we put this together, then it can be done. They did dream big and showed us what they can do. Without Letsile, without Bayapo, without Collen to run a 2.58. is amazing," Dipeba said. He paid tribute to the 29-year-old Scotch who, like the coaches, motivated the younger troops.
