KARABO SIBANDA:THE ULTIMATE COMEBACK KID

By Katlego Mechidi

Karabo Sibanda’s absence from the track for almost two years left the athletics fraternity with countless questions about his whereabouts.

TALKING POINTS

• Karabo Sibanda`s absence is owed to injuries
• Special inclusion in the national team was done for Sibanda
• He is the future of athletics, and the future is now

KARABO SIBANDA RETURNED TO NATIONAL TEAM SPECIFICALLY FOR HIS TALENT

The injury took the talented 400m specialist through a roller-coaster until this year when being included in Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) provisional team that prepares for this year’s Tokyo Olympic Games.

Regarding Sibanda’s inclusion in the team after such lengthy absence, BAA Vice President-Technical, Tshepo Kelaotswe said the association made a special dispensation adding that the athlete has the great potential to qualify for the Olympic Games.

SIBANDA`S INJURIES TOOK HIMBEHIND THE SCENES

The Shashe-Mooke born star comes a long way back struggling with injuries, he was forced to pull out of 2016 IAAF Diamond League due to a re-occurring hamstring injury but managed to qualify for 2016 Rio Olympics with first degree torn hamstring injury.

Since early 2017 his progress has been hampered by injuries, Karabo Sibanda was last seen in the track at the 2018 Gold Coast Common Wealth games and has suffered from injuries since.

2014,A STAR WAS BORN

It was in 2014 when he engraved his name in athletics community during Africa Youth Games when he clinched a 400m gold medal and a silver medal at Youth Olympics at China the same year.

He hold several 400m titles in his name, among them is 2015 African U-20 Championships gold, 2015 Common Wealth title, 2016 African Championships silver medal and 2016 World U20 Championships bronze medal.

The fledgling star also achieved a lot with the highly ranked men’s 4x400m relay team, he was part of the team when it scooped gold medal in 2015 African Youth Championships, 2016 African Championships, silver at 2016 World U20 Championships.

Karabo Sibanda was also in the team during 2016 Rio Olympics when it finished in the 5^th position recording its best time of (2:59:06) and in 2017 when they attained 2^nd position during IAAF World Relays.

The young sensational sprinter is one of the best quarter milers in the country and he shocked the nation during 2016 Rio Olympics by becoming the youngest Motswana to make it to 400m final at the age of 18 where he finished in 5^th position recording personal best time of 44:25.

His outstanding performance in 2016 earned him big during 36^th Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) awards as he attained treble being Sportsperson of the year, Junior Male Sportsperson of the year and being in the 4x400m relay team which got an award.

This year Karabo Sibanda made a comeback and took part in BAA Inter Zonal Meet held at the national stadium where he competed in 200m finishing in second position and also competed in the 400m where he scooped position one.

Still in the same competition he was in the 4x100m relay team which attained position two earning himself personal best of 41:06.

His manager, Edward Griffiths revealed that the talented athlete has been training under the tutelage of former Usain Bolt coach, Glen Mills in Jamaica during his absence.

The young sensational sprinter is without any doubt the future of athletics world and with the right mindset and focus he is among those upcoming youngsters who are going to break athletics records.