The coach of Olympic 200-metre silver medalist Christine Mboma has dropped hints that the athlete is eager to return to the track after being temporarily banned from competing.

Earlier this year, World Athletics (WA) made a significant announcement, saying that athletes with Differences in Sexual Development (DSD) would not be eligible to participate in any international competitions until their testosterone levels were reduced. Notably, this ruling affected Namibia’s top sprinters, including Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi, who finished fourth in the 200m final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

DSD encompasses a range of rare conditions related to genes, hormones, and reproductive organs, leading to variations in an individual’s sex development. This rule came into effect in March this year, mandating athletes with DSD to lower their blood testosterone levels to below 2.5 nanomoles per litre, which is half of the previously accepted level of five nanomoles.

In a recent interview with this publication, Mboma’s coach Henk Botha provided an update on the athlete, revealing that she has already commenced training. He further expressed his excitement about her imminent return to the track.

“Yes, Christine is progressing well with her training, and she is gearing up to compete in her first competition in March next year. We are quite enthusiastic about her performance on the track next year, which will mark her return to competitive action,” he said.

When asked about the potential effects of the medication on Mboma’s performance, the coach responded, “We are eagerly awaiting her performance in her first competition. As of now, we have not observed any negative impacts on her performance. Her speed remains intact, and we are eagerly anticipating her performance next year as she works to once again bring pride to Namibia,” he added. - mkambukwe@nepc.com.na