NAIROBI – Despite an unfortunate groin injury, which saw Namibia’s Tokyo Olympics star Christine Mboma tumble midway through the 100m race at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi over the weekend, her coach Henk Botha remains undeterred.
In his daily media briefings via WhatsApp yesterday, Botha said multiple scans were done in Nairobi immediately after the incident, and it was confirmed the 18-year-old Tokyo Olympics 200m silver medallist suffered a groin injury that was causing excruciating pain in the upper part of her right thigh.
In Kenya, Mboma received moderate medical attention to lessen the pain and enable her to return home for further medical assessments.
She and Botha returned home yesterday morning.
In his briefing, the coach said the young sprint sensation was now doing much better and is in less pain.
Botha further confirmed they have for now cancelled all upcoming competitions for Mboma and will use this time to fully focus on her recovery.
As a start, they will today fly to Johannesburg, South Africa, to do additional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans with top specialists.
“So far, we have cancelled all events until we know the results and how big the damage is. As of now, we cannot see if there is a teary muscle or not. The MRI scans will do that in South Africa, and the specialists that side will help us properly determine the extent of her injury. Thereafter, we will then make a final decision on the way forward for her. But, I am truly happy with the way she has been reacting in the past few hours. She seems more positive, and I can only wish her a fast recovery. But make no mistake; she will surely be back much better and faster,” said a confident Botha.
After Saturday’s race, New Era Sport caught up with Mboma, who was evidently in great pain.
She was seen holding tightly onto her upper part of her right thigh, trying to lessen the pain.
“It’s bad; I feel so much pain, especially on the upper part of my thigh. I have never been in so much pain,” said a teary-eyed Mboma, who was initially scheduled to run the 100m and 200m races at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Kip Keino Classic.
Jamaica’s sprinter legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who won the 100m after clocking a new time of 10.67 and was expected to be Mboma’s biggest rival at the weekend event, also took time out to pay the Namibian a visit in her hotel room to wish her well and a speedy recovery.
“You just have to rest and retreat, and just keep your head strong. You’ll be good, and I hope to see you soon on the tracks,” said Fraser-Pryce, whose winning time in Nairobi was the third-fastest time of her career.
She equalled the 12th fastest-ever performance in the world.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who won the men’s 100m event on Saturday by clocking this year’s fastest time of 9.85, also offered Mboma his unwavering support, and equally wished her a quick recovery, saying such incidents are prone to happen in the world of sport.
“That was unfortunate, and we know injuries are bound to happen – but as an athlete, you should always expect them and come back stronger. She (Mboma) is an amazing sprinter, and I wish her a fast recovery,” he said.
The Kip Keino Classic is a track and field meeting, held annually in Nairobi, Kenya, and named after that country’s Olympian Kipchoge Keino.
The inaugural edition took place in 2020 as part of the inaugural World Athletics Continental Tour.
- mkambukwe@nepc.com.na