Team Botswana encountered a challenging start at the World Paralympic Athletics Championship in India. Early rounds brought mixed results, with athletes showing promise but facing tough competition.
Bonkamile Bankaetse, competing in the Men’s 400m T11 category with guide Thuso Baleseng, posted a season-best time of 54.50 seconds in Round 1 – Heat 4. Despite improving to a personal best of 53.78 seconds, the pair finished third in their heat and did not advance to the finals.
In the Women’s 100m T13 final, Gloria Majaga finished fifth with a time of 13.38 seconds. Team coach Katlego Matong highlighted the positives, noting that achieving personal bests demonstrates progress. He expressed confidence that Majaga could deliver stronger results in the upcoming T13 400m event scheduled for Saturday.
Meanwhile, Ronald Richwill is set to compete in the T37 200m heats at 9.39am, with Bankaetse scheduled for the T37 200m final at 5.20pm. The team remains focused on improving performance in the remaining events and gaining valuable experience on the world stage.
The championship provides Botswana’s athletes with an opportunity to test their skills against top international competitors and build momentum ahead of future Paralympic competitions.
