Lesotho Times
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Leemisa Thuseho
LESOTHO’s athletics relay team brought home two trophies from an international competition in Botswana over the weekend.
The competition organised by Botswana’s Lefika Athletics Club was held on 10 June 2023 at the Botswana National Stadium in Gaborone.
The Lesotho team won two trophies after finishing second in the senior females’ 400m×4 relay and third in the senior males’ 100m×4 relay competitions.
The trophy in the females’ 400m×4 relay was won by a team comprising Maliea Nalane, ‘Manqabang Tsibela, Mphotleng Koeshe and Pinki Monyobo after they completed the race in 4:11.19 time.
The quartet finished behind Botswana’s team which consisted of Obakeng Kamberuka, Motlatsi Rante, Tlhomphang Basele and Golekanye Chikani and recorded a time of 3:39.95.
In the senior males’ 100m×4 competition, a team made up of Mojela Koneshe, Kente Mokheseng, Lebesa Sekepe and Mokole Morapeli settled for third position after clocking 42.89.
After competing in the 100m×4, Koneshe and Sekepe went to team up with Teboho Petlo and Samuel Khalane in the 200m×4 category, finishing on sixth position with 1:43.69.
Lesotho also had representation in the mixed 400m×4 race in which the quartet of Relebohile Mokoatleng (male), Monyobo (female), Karabo Lephallo (male) and Koeshe (female) finished on fifth position in a time of 3:44.25.
Federation of Athletics Lesotho (FAL) public relations officer, Nkuebe Makhalemele, applauded the team saying it had exceeded expectations.
He said this was the first time these teams had competed at an international level in the relay competitions.
“For a long time, we have been without relay teams. These are totally new teams. But they managed to win two trophies,” Makhalemele said.
“This is promising, and we are happy with their performance. We are looking forward to attending more events to help them boost their competitiveness and combinations.”
He said now that they had re-introduced relay teams, they “were looking forward to forming hurdling teams”.
