Limba Mupetami

Local coach Henk Botha said Saturday’s result in which Christine Mboma finished eighth and last in the women’s 100 metres (m) race at the Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour was not the result they wanted.

Mboma clocked a time of 12.32 seconds, with Botha sharing that they wanted to run 11.4 seconds.

“But it seemed like there was a mishap that happened in the event, and Christine didn’t realise how big this was until she reached the track. When she entered the track, she wasn’t even running, but walking. But this is our first step, and we knew how difficult this would be,” said Botha.

He added that Mboma informed him that the line number came off her left thigh, and she thought that she pulled her upper muscle because she felt something. She was in a bit of shock, and the race went out of her.

“In the 100m, there is no room for mistakes, it’s not like the 200m. However, we don’t want to make excuses, it’s back to the blackboard and hard work. I can assure you that we will continue fighting until we are back to the top,” added Botha.

“I have just come back after a long layoff and this being an Olympic year, I have to protect myself to be fit in the season,” Mboma told reporters.

The race was won by African champion Gina Bittaye of Gambia in a time of 11.33 seconds, followed by Hamida Basanta of Egypt in 11.51 and Shannon Rey of the United States in 11.53. Kenya’s African 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala lost his first Kip Keino Classic race since 2021 when he finished a poor fifth. America’s 200m Olympic silver medalist Kenneth Bednarek emerged the winner in a time of 9.91 seconds, ahead of Emmanuel Matadi in 9.99 seconds. 

-lmupetami@nepc.com.na