Montsho rebuilds tainted legacy

Former women’s 400m world champion Amantle Montsho is on track to rebuilding her tarnished legacy at the ongoing 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. Montsho easily qualified for the 400m women final yesterday (Tuesday) clocking an impressive 51.26s and coming second to Anastacia Le-Roy of Jamaica. Montsho was leading the pack until the last 50m of the race when she slowed down towards the end. The last time Montsho competed at the Commonwealth Games was in Glasgow, Scotland in 2014. It was in Glasgow that Montsho failed a doping test and was ultimately banned from athletics for two years. Montsho had come into the 2014 games as favourite having won gold for Botswana during the 2010 Delhi games.

The middle-distance star is the first local female athlete to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth. Given her current form, it will come as no surprise if Montsho brings back another gold medal. Her greatest inspiration will be drawn from 400m runners Isaac Makwala and Baboloki Thebe who registered the country’s first two medals during the men 400m finals this past Tuesday. Makwala won his first gold at the games while Thebe scooped silver. Montsho’s personal best in 400m is 49.33 recorded in 2013 at the Diamond League in Monaco. In what is expected to be a mouthwatering final today (Wednesday) Montsho once again shares the track with Jamaican Stephene Mcpherson who has a personal best of 49.92sec. Mcpherson comes into the finals having clocked a time of 51.21sec in the Semi-finals. Meanwhile, Botswana’s Christine Botlogetswe also booked herself a place in the 400m women finals with an impressive 51.41sec while her compatriot Galefele Moroko bowed out of the race after coming in position six and clocking 54.27sec.