Lerato Sechele sets new Lesotho triple jump record at Commonwealth Games

Lesotho record breaker Lerato Sechele

Lesotho triple jump specialist Lerato Sechele set a new national record of 13.57 metres in the final of the women’s triple jump at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia on Tuesday.

Sechele’s brilliant performance wasn’t enough however to end Lesotho’s international medal drought as she finished fourth.

The event was won by Jamaica’s Kimberly Williams with a jump of 14.64 metres. She was followed by countrywoman Shanieka Ricketts with the Dominican Republic’s Thea Lafond claiming bronze.

Sechele, who won silver at the 2011 African Junior Athletics Championships in Botswana, has been camped in Senegal for the past three years.

She is a beneficiary of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Olympic Solidarity training programme with hopes of qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Lesotho hasn’t won a medal at a global championship since Moses Kopo’s boxing silver at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia.

Women’s triple jump results:

1. Kimberly Williams (Jamaica) 14.64 metres

2. Shanieka Ricketts (Jamaica) 14.52

3. Thea Lafond (Dominica) 13.92

4. Lerato Sechele (Lesotho) 13.57

5. Blessing Ibrahim (Nigeria) 13.48

Molefe joins Mokhotho in Commonwealth Games boxing quarterfinals

Lesotho's Thabo Molefe (in red) during his win over Vanuatu’s Gill Kalai

Thabo Molefe has joined teammate Moroke Mokhotho in the quarterfinals of the 2018 Commonwealth Games boxing competition, raising Lesotho’s hopes of a medal at the Gold Coast Games in Australia.

Molefe beat Vanuatu’s Gill Kalai by a unanimous 5-0 decision in the men’s 52 kilograms round of 16 stage early on Monday morning at Oxenford Studios where the boxing tournament is being held.

Molefe will next face Vidanalange Ishan Bandara of Sri Lanka in the quarterfinals on Wednesday knowing a win would put him on the verge of winning a medal. The quarterfinal match is scheduled to take place at 5:47AM Lesotho Time.

Molefe joined Lesotho’s top boxer Mokhotho in the quarterfinals. Mokhotho, who is fighting in the 56kg tournament, beat Jean Jordy Vadamootoo of Mauritius by a 3-2 split in the round of 16 on Saturday.

The 2016 Olympian will face Northern Ireland’s Kurt Warner in the quarters on Tuesday morning. Mokhotho goes into the bout hoping to go one better than at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland where he fell at the same quarterfinal stage.

Mokhotho came into these Commonwealth Games with more experience and confidence after winning gold at the Zone 4 African Boxing Championship in February in Maputo, Mozambique.

Mokhotho and Molefe are the only members of Lesotho’s five-strong boxing team to make it through to the next round of the Gold Coast Games.

‘Mantoa Ranone lost to New Zealand’s Alexis Pritchard in the women’s 57kg round of 16, Mokhachane Moshoeshoe lost to New Zealand’s Leroy Hindley in the men’s 69kg round of 16 and Qhobosheane Mohlerepe lost to Michael McDonagh of Wales in the men’s 60kg round of 16.

Boxing, nevertheless, appears to be Lesotho’s best hope for success in Australia so far.

In athletics there was disappointment for Lesotho’s number one sprinter Mosito Lehata on Saturday as he fell at the semi-final stage of the 100 metres event after he was unable to finish the race.

There was similar frustration for his athletics teammates.

Mokulubetse Makatisi (women’s 1500 metres heats) and Lineo Chaka (women’s 10 000 metres final) finished last in their races while Toka Badboy was disqualified from the men’s 5000 metres final. Bafokeng Moeti also finished 11th out of 14 athletes in the men’s 69kg weightlifting competition.

But all is not lost. On Tuesday, Lehata will get another chance to make his mark when he starts in the heats of his favoured 200 metres event while Lerato Sechele will contest the women’s triple jump final.

Lesotho is trying to add to its all-time tally of three medals at the Commonwealth Games – Moses Kopo’s boxing bronze in 2006 in Melbourne, Sephula Letuka’s boxing bronze in 2002 in Manchester and Thabiso Moqhali’s marathon gold in 1998 in Kuala Lumpur.

Team Lesotho all set for 2018 Commonwealth Games

Boxer Moroke Mokhotho is of Team Lesotho's biggest hopes...

Lesotho’s team for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games is made up of 20 athletes.

The team is headlined by sprinter Mosito Lehata and the country will compete in four sports – athletics, boxing, cycling and weightlifting. Team Lesotho comprises 13 male and seven female athletes.

Lesotho goes into the Commonwealth Games looking for its first medal since 2006 when Moses Kopo claimed a boxing silver medal at the Melbourne edition of the championships.

In total, Lesotho three medals in its history at the Commonwealth Games.

In 2002 in Manchester, Letuka Sephula won bronze in boxing while the country’s greatest sporting moment remains Thabiso Moqhali’s gold medal in the marathon at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

The 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia will be a special occasion for this group of Lesotho athletes because the country’s delegation will be headed by His Majesty King Letsie III. King Letsie III will also be accompanied by the minister of sports, Mahali Phamotse.

Although Lesotho’s preparations have been far from ideal with a lack of funding hampering the preparations of the teams, hopes are high given the experience in the squad. Apart from two-time Olympian Lehata, the athletics team has two-time Olympic marathon runner Tšepo Mathibelle.

There is also Neheng Khatala, who finished third at the South African Half-Marathon in Port Elizabeth and Free State OR Tambo Marathon last year, and is regarded as one of Lesotho’s rising athletics stars.

Boxing, meanwhile, has Moroke Mokhotho, who competed at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and is a two-time bronze medallist from the 2011 and 2015 All Africa Games.

The 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games get underway tomorrow at the Carrara Stadium in Queensland, Australia. The opening ceremony is from 11:55 to 15:00. The Games will end on April 15.

Team Lesotho:

Athletics:

Women: Lerato Sechele (triple jump), Tšepang Sello (800 metres), Mokulubete Makatise (1500 and 5000 metres), Lineo Chaka (5000 and 10000 metres) and ‘Neheng Khatala (marathon)

Men: Mosito Lehata (100 and 200 metres), Badboy Toka, Ramolefi Motsieloa (5000 and 10000 metres) and Tšepo Mathibelle (marathon)

Boxing:

Women: ‘Mantoa Ranone (57kg)

Men: Thabo Molefe (52kg), Moroke Mokhotho (56kg), Qhobosheane Mohlerepe (60kg), Mokhachane Moshoeshoe (69kg), Kokole Paneng (75kg)

Cycling:

Women: Likeleli Makatise (MTB)

Men: Phetetso Monese, Tumelo Makae (both MTB), Malefetsane Lesofe (Road)

Weightlifting:

Men: Bafokeng Moeti (69kg)

Lesotho record holder Nkhabutlane out of 2018 Commonwealth Games

Motlokoa Nkhabutlane (right) with Ethiopian athletics legend Haile Gebrselassie
after winning 2015 Two Oceans Marathon...

Lesotho marathon record holder Motlokoa Nkhabutlane will not compete at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April dealing a major blow to the country’s hopes at the championships.

Last March, Nkhabutlane clocked a time of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 47 seconds (2:09:47) to finish ninth at the Paris Marathon. The time broke the previous national record of 2:10:55 set by Lesotho marathon legend Thabiso Moqhali at the 1992 London Marathon.

It was hoped Nkhabutlane could emulate Moqhali who won marathon gold at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games.

Moqhali’s gold remains Lesotho’s only title at a major international Games.

Nkhabutlane, who won the 2015 Two Oceans Old Mutual Marathon crown, was set to be one of 22 athletes in Team Lesotho for the Commonwealth Games which run from April 4 to 15. However, the 33 year-old said he will instead focus on competing in the Milan Marathon in Italy (on April 8) or the London Marathon in England (on April 22).

“I was left with no choice but to pull out because as much as I have to represent the country I also have to fend for my family,” Nkhabutlane said in a media interview.

“I can only fend for them by running and unfortunately we are not getting much for representing the country as we only get the per diem. We still don’t know how much we are going to get.”

The 2018 Commonwealth Games will be held at the Carrara Stadium in Queensland, Australia. Lesotho will compete in five sporting codes – athletics, boxing, cycling, table tennis and weightlifting.

“The worst part is we are not even getting any support to train for these games and I have to use my own money and resources which will cost me a lot of money,” Nkhabutlane said.

“I normally start preparing at least four months earlier for major races and I have to spend M2000 on a weekly basis for my physios and food when training for big races.”

Nkhabutlane, who now runs for Pietermaritzburg running club Save Orion in South Africa, said athletes in Lesotho need to be taken more seriously.

“It is time that people understood that athletics is work for us and it should be treated as such. I don’t have a problem representing the country if given the support,” he said.

“I am certain that I can win medals but unfortunately (Lesotho Amateur Athletics Association) is not willing to meet my demands. We need to be helped. I don’t want to just go there (to the Commonwealth Games) and just run for the sake of it and ruin my reputation.”