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PASSIONATE: Dipeba
A former 200m runner who represented Botswana at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Justice Dipeba is now one of the top coaches in the country.
The 47-year-old Mogoditshane man has played a key part in the development and rise of star athletes such as Isaac Makwala and Christine Botlogetswe.
Dipeba’s journey into the world of coaching started back in 2000 as an Aerobics instructor at Auburn University Intramural Service, Alabama in the USA, where he was studying for a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education.
As well as Athletics, the father-of-two has coached in Football, Hockey, Volleyball, Swimming, Softball, and Cricket.
Last Olympics for Makwala and Montsho
After qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Botswana’s most decorated athletes, Isaac Makwala and Amantle Montsho will compete in this event for the last time as they approach retirement.
Makwala qualified for the Olympics for the third time over the weekend in the 400m heats in the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) National Championships.
He clocked 44.65s beating the Olympic standard qualifying time of 44.90s.
The 35-year-old Tutume born sprinter also qualified for the Olympics in 200m clocking 20.27s at the same event.
Makwala was also part of the 4×4 relay team which recently qualified for the Olympics at the IAAF world relays in Poland, winning a bronze medal.
Boxing camp in Serbia (Belgrade) without a coach
Amos, Thebe on self sponsored preps in USA
VICTORIA MARUMO
Local athletes Nijel Amos, Christine Botlogetswe, Amantle Montsho and Galefele Moroko have booked a seat to represent Botswana at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan at individual level. Other sporting codes that are headed for Tokyo include boxing, cycling, weight lifting and Judo.
Athletics national team Coach Justice Dipeba said the final men’s relay team will be decided at a later stage. He explained that members of the relay team that recently took bronze in Relay Championships held in Poland led by the experienced sprinter, Isaac Makwala are very much aware of the possibility of being replaced by other top athletes, the likes of Baboloki Thebe. “It is difficult to tell who is going as it will depend on their perfomances in upcoming competitions. There is no guarantee that our teammates for the Ploand qualifiers will be proceeding to Tokyo,” he said.
Relay teams head for Poland in final Olympic push
With the Tokyo Olympics fast approaching, Botswana’s relay teams will head to Poland in a last desperate attempt to qualify for the greatest sporting event in the world.
Scheduled for 1 – 2 May in the southern Polish city of Chorzow, the World Relays will see the ‘rest of the best’ converge on Europe in the scramble for Japan.
Botswana will compete in both the men’s and women’s 4x400m events while a men’s team will also take part in the explosive 4x100m relay
With eight of 16 allocated Olympic places up for grabs in each discipline, the local runners will be assured of a spot at Japan if they can get through their heats.