Team Nigeria's dominance of the 400m in Africa is now history as Botswana win gold and bronze in Tokyo
Before now, Team Nigeria's dominance of men's and women's 400m in Africa was total; now the new home of 400m is Botswana.
Decades ago, Nigeria's dominance of the events was total. In the men’s event, the names on the lips of athletics buffs are Innocent Egbunike, Rotimi Peters, Sunday Bada, Clement Chukwu, Udeme Ekpeyong, Nduka Awazie and a host of others.
In the women's event, Falilat Ogunkoya, Fatima Yusuf, Charity Opara, Bisi Afolabi and others are not just a force in Africa, but they dominate globally.
But at the ongoing World Championship in Tokyo, the name on everyone's lips is Bostwana.
Botswana claimed a historic gold and bronze medal in the 400m when Busang Collen Kebinatshipi and Bayapo Ndori brought glory to the country at the 2025 World Championships.
Botswana displayed their prowess over the 400m when they claimed gold and bronze at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Busang Collen Kebinatshipi was the surprise winner of the gold medal, the 21-year-old running away with the world title against the odds, while flooring more experienced rivals.
Kebinatshipi took command of the race by the halfway mark and never relinquished his lead, and was never in doubt as he went on to cross the line in a world-leading time of 43.53 seconds at the National Stadium in Tokyo World Athletics Championships 2025: Mary Moraa, Lilian Odira Ease into Semis as Sarah Moraa, Vivian Kiprotich Crash Out
Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago claimed a silver medal after clocking a national record 43.72 seconds under a heavy challenge from another Botswana athlete in Bayapo Ndori.
Ndori held on to claim bronze in a season’s best 44.20 seconds to shake off the challenge of Jamaican Rusheen McDonald.
The win and third place for Botswana is perhaps a warning to the rest ahead of the 4x400m relay final, where they will be joined by Olympics 200m champion Letsile.
