Botswana optimistic than ever for glory at world championships

When the 2015 IAAF World Athletics Championships kick off in Beijing on Saturday, Botswanans will have more than just a reason to watch the glamorous opening ceremony.

The country has sent out probably one of its best assembled athletics teams of recent years, and more than that, the athletes are at their best form and among the world's best in their respective events. The eight member team departed the country on Sunday amid a lot of hope.

Not so many years ago, the name Amantle Montsho remained the only hope for the landlocked Southern Africa nation for a medal at any major global athletics competition. The 400m runner, currently serving a two-year doping ban after testing positive for a banned substance at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, will not feature at this year's championships.

Despite the 2011 world champion's absence, all hope was not lost as some of the country's finest track athletes have emerged to go top of the world in the past two years.

The 800m world leader Nijel Amos and 400m African record holder Isaac Makwala are the country's brightest prospects of gold medals at the championships.

Amos goes into the championships having dominated the event since clinching silver at the 2012 Olympic Games. The 21-year-old has already beaten reigning Olympic gold medallist David Rudisha six times after the Olympics winning the 2014 Commonwealth games gold as well as the 2014 IAAF Diamond League along the way. All eyes will be on Amos when he competes in the semifinal of the two lap race to see if he will continue his dominance.

Meanwhile, another athlete who has been a revelation to watch of late is 400m sprinter Makwala. The 28-year-old is somehow a late bloomer having first made his debut at the championships in 2007.

Despite a couple of inconsistent performances, Makwala is in the form of his life having regained his African record last month at La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, running a personal best of 43.72 seconds, a time that ranks him fifth fastest of all time, and fastest ever non-American.

Botswana has all reasons to be optimistic of Makwala's performance as his time is now the fastest time in the world since Jeremy Wariner won the world title in 2007.

Botswana will also field a relatively unknown rising star in Onkabetse Nkobolo, still in the men's 400m. The 22-year-old may be a surprise package in Beijing with a best time of 45:36 recorded at the Madrid World Challenge in June.

Botswana's eight-man team at the race is completed by the 4x400m relay team that is made up of Amos, Makwala, Nkobolo, Pako Seribe, Leaname Maotoanong, Sakarea Kamperuka, and Unoda Keetile.

The team is currently ranked 14th in the world.

Experienced high jumper Kabelo Kgosiemang also remains a force to reckon at the championships. The reigning African champion has massive experience in the international arena having competed at all the previous four championships.

Meanwhile Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) President Moses Bantsi has expressed confidence in the team that they are capable of bringing medals home.

Bantsi told Xinhua on Tuesday that they have assembled the best group of athletes who are among the world's best in their respective categories.

"I am confident that this team will bring medals home, because they are going to give their utmost best," he said.

Team coach Justice Dipeba said morale in the camp is very high and they have settled well and will use the rest of this week to acclimatize to the environment before the competition starts.

"Everyone is charged up to perform, we are just doing final touches before the championships starts, I am optimistic we will bring home medals," he said. Endi