Has Makwala Retired Only from the National Team?

Botswana’s 400m national record holder (43.72 seconds) has retired from the national team only but not from athletics in general, The Business Weekly Sports has established. According to sources close to the 37-year-old athlete, Makwala has bethought his decision of entirely retiring from athletics and has quit only the national team. [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type="show" ihc_mb_who="1,2,3,4" ihc_mb_template="1" ] “He is going to be competing in other races, mainly meets and challenges, but will not take part in any national team activity,” said a source close to the athlete. “This is a matter that is still between him and his coach. They may announce this soon or they will just wait to surprise people next year.” Lecturer in sports science at the University of Botswana, Dr Tshephang Tshube, considers this a good move by the sensational athlete, if it is indeed the case. “If that is true, it is welcome,” said the UB don in an interview. “This can be a retirement transition stage for him so that he can do a few races as he exits. This is a step in the right direction for him as his load will also be reduced, I do not know how many races he is going to compete in, but it is a transition all the way outside sports and is greatly welcome.” Tshube, who knows Makwala quite well, added that this athlete’s retirement from the national team means he will now focus on other races like the Diamond League. “This is a normal thing for athletes to do,” he pointed out. “They have to pick an area to pursue and make as much money as they can before they completely retire. “Makwala has realised that he has represented the country for long enough (over 15 years) and should now use the remaining energy to make a lot of money in other races.” The outstanding athlete has been a feature on running tracks around the world for more than a decade, and his medal cabinet bears this out. Inside it are international hauls like the Olympics 4x400m bronze medal, the IAAF Diamond League 400m trophy, and gold from the Glasgow 2018 Commonwealth Games in the 400m and the 4x400m. Makwala’s record speaks for the man as one of the best athletes that Botswana has ever produced. He is the national record holder of three sprint races, namely the 200m (19.77), the 300m (31.44) and the 400m (43.72). He also formed part of the 4x400m that smashed the African record to 2:57.27 at the Tokyo Olympics. The Tutume-born athlete is also the only male athlete in the world to have accomplished the fastest double in a single day, the 200m and the 400m races, breaking the 400m African record in 44.01 and winning the 200m in 19.96 one and-a-half hours later. Makwala achieved these master strokes at the La Chaux-de-Fonds meet in Switzerland in 2014. Efforts to reach the sensational athlete were unsuccessful at the time of going to press. [/ihc-hide-content]

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Has Makwala Retired Only from the National Team?

While The Business Weekly Sports cannot say that is the case for sure, it is the word going around and a sports scientist at UB says it is the right thing to do for Makwala

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Has Makwala Retired Only from the National Team?

While The Business Weekly Sports cannot say that is the case for sure, it is the word going around and a sports scientist at UB says it is the right thing to do for Makwala

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