Botswana’s 21-year-old Collen Kebinatshipi came of age as an individual runner in the driving rain of Tokyo as he floated to victory in a men’s 400m final packed with up-and-coming talents, clocking a national record of 43.53 – the fastest time of the season.
In doing so, he became his nation’s first ever world champion in a men’s event.
on a night when Botswana had three finalists – briefly raising hopes of emulating the US medal sweep at the last world championships to have been held in Japan, at Osaka in 2007 – they ended up with two medals.
"This is my first title and it feels crazy," said kebinatshipi.
"After the semifinal I really started to believe in myself. I told myself to go out fast and do better than in the semifinal. The medal was just a bonus.
Being able to run the national record and a world lead is fantastic... Having three athletes from Botswana running this final shows we are growing – we are really improving as Botswana and as Africa."