From winning Namibia’s first Olympic medal in 25 years at this year’s Tokyo Games, to being crowned 200m champion in her maiden appearance at the recent World U/20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya – sprint wunderkind Christine Mboma today has another golden opportunity to further rewrite history books.
When some of the world’s crème de la crème in the women’s 200m discipline takes to the tracks in the 200m final of the renowned Wanda Diamond League at the at Letzigrund Stadium in Zürich, Switzerland, the 18-year-old Mboma will have a unique opportunity to be crowned the Diamond League champion in her very first season.
Mboma will, however, be forced to fend off tough competition from the likes of Britain’s world champion Dina Asher-Smith, Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, Marie-Josée Ta Lou of Ivory Coast, Netherland’s Marije van Hunenstijn and Britain’s Dezerea Bryant without the reliable companionship of her ‘partner in crime’ Beatrice Masilingi.
Coach Henk Botha late yesterday confirmed that Masilingi might not be part of today’s mega final as she has been under the weather since the Brussels’ leg of the Diamond League, where she finished fifth overall.
“Masilingi is currently not feeling so well; we have put her on the side line for now but I will make a final decision tomorrow morning (this morning). She desperately wants to run in the final and she has asked me, but looking at her, one can see she is not doing so well. I don’t think it will be the right call to make. I don’t think she will run in the final,” said Botha, speaking to New Era Sport from his base in Switzerland.
– ohembapu@nepc.com.na