Pascalinah Kabi
MASERU — The Lesotho Athletics Amateur Association (LAAA) believes it has found an athlete capable of bringing a gold medal home from the Commonwealth Games.
The LAA is confident short-distance runner Tsepo Kotsokoane, 19, might be on the winners’ podium at the Commonwealth Games set for New Delhi, India, in October.
The teenager has been impressive in 100m and 200m races.
Lesotho has not had success at the games for mainly former British colonies — held every four years — since marathon runner Thabiso Moqhali scooped gold at the 1998 edition.
LAAA spokesperson Sejanamane Maphathe told the Sunday Express they had faith in the rising star, Kotsokoane.
“I am confident and we smell a medal from the Commonwealth Games because we’ve finally found an athlete of Moqhali’s calibre,” he said.
“We’ve been struggling to find a person of Moqhali’s calibre and I am now certain Tsepo is going to bring a medal from the Commonwealth Games in October this year.”
Maphathe said Kotsokoane was destined for glory in athletics because of his talent and discipline.
“I believe Tsepo will go places with his running career because of his orientation,” he said.
“The boy is disciplined and he takes his talent seriously.”
Maphathe said Tsepo was among the 20 local athletes who will represent Lesotho at the Confederations of Youth Champions in Mozambique at the end of this month.
“He is among the 20 athletes representing the country at the Confederations of Youth Champions to be staged in Mozambique on May 27-30,” he said.
Lesotho will also send 18 athletes to the Confederations of Youth Champions in Botswana on May 21.
The games are for the Under-18 athletes.
Maphathe is optimistic Lesotho’s teams are going to bring medals from both championships.
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