Botswana celebrated a memorable night in the men’s 400 metres as 21-year-old Busang Collen Kebinatshipi stunned the field to win gold and set a new national record, while team-mate Bayapo Ndori secured bronze to give the southern African nation a superb double on the track.
Kebinatshipi seized control by the halfway mark and never looked back, powering to the line in a world-leading 43.53 seconds in a driving Tokyo rain at the National Stadium on Thursday.
Full results (final).
- Busang Collen KEBINATSHIPI (BOT) — 43.53
- Jereem RICHARDS (TTO) — 43.72
- Bayapo NDORI (BOT) — 44.20
- Rusheen MCDONALD (JAM) — 44.28
- Zakithi NENE (RSA) — 44.55
- Yuki Joseph NAKAJIMA (JPN) — 44.62
- Jacory PATTERSON (USA) — 44.70
- Lee Bhekempilo EPPIE (BOT) — 44.77
Trinidad and Tobago’s veteran Jereem Richards chased strongly to take silver in 43.72 (a national record), while Bayapo Ndori produced a resolute finish to claim bronze in a season’s best 44.20 after fending off Jamaica’s Rusheen McDonald.
The result is also a clear signal ahead of the 4x400m relay final, where Botswana, buoyed by Kebinatshipi, Ndori and the presence of Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo, will be considered a formidable medal threat.
Kebinatshipi, who had previously collected medals largely as part of Botswana’s 4×400 squad, now steps forward as an established individual force after missing the individual Olympic final by one place last summer.
Kebinatshipi’s triumph in Tokyo marks a landmark moment for Botswana athletics, a performance that will be celebrated at home and that raises expectations for the country across both individual 400m and relay events as the championships continue.
