Isaac Makwala
WHY ‘BADMAN’ IS A FORCE FOR GOOD Botswana’s most famous athlete gives inspiration to young hopefuls Batswana are an active people who love a variety of sports, but it’s in athletics that they shine on the world stage. Leading the way is Isaac Makwala, who brought home the 400m gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Here is the inspirational tale of how the son of a cattle farmer brought up in the village of Tutume became a world-beater on the track.
I
saac Makwala is the most famous
day. Such a feat made him one of the
athlete in Botswana, his celebrity
favourites for the 200m and 400m at
fuelled by success and some contro-
the World Athletics Championships in
versy. The success includes his first
London the following month. However,
major championship gold medal at the
the International Association of Athletics
Commonwealth Games on Australia’s
Federations did not allow Makwala to
Gold Coast with a time of 44.35
run in the 400m, his favourite event,
seconds in the men’s 400m final.
after it said he was displaying symptoms of the stomach bug norovirus, an
The race brought the country’s third
outbreak of which had already affected a
and fourth medal at the games, with
number of athletes at the meet.
Makwala’s teammate, Baboloki Thebe, winning silver.
GOING VIRAL Then followed the surreal sight of
22
The summer before, at the Meeting
the supposedly still infectious athlete
de Atletismo in Madrid, Makwala had
running a lone 200m heat, in the rain,
became the first man to run the 200m in
to qualify for the semi-finals, which he
under 20 seconds (19.77) and the 400m
did, finishing in 20.20, well under the
in under 44 seconds (43.92) on the same
required time of 20.53. To prove his
HEALTH AND FITNESS
TENNIS
Batswana are healthy, active people and gym culture
Tennis is building in popularity
has had a big effect in recent years, especially in
and the Botswana Tennis
urban areas. Most larger hotels in Gaborone have
Association has a well-
a well-equipped gym and there’s a growing number
structured junior development
of standalone gyms, including the very fancy Virgin
programme. You’ll find courts
Active Airport Junction. Outdoor gyms are also
at Notwane Tennis in Gaborone
cropping up in the capital, offering a free and easy
and the Francistown School of
way to get in some low-impact training.
Tennis.
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