Dear Sir
Over the last two weeks, we have all been able to follow and enjoy the performances of our national athletes at the London Olympics. Maunians obviously have been particularly keen on tracking the exploits of World Champion and local hero Amantle Montsho. We have seen her winning her opening race with apparent ease. We have watched her battling it out with Francina McCorory in the semi-finals and saw her triumphing once again.
Then came the day of the finals. A field of eight very strong and very fast young women, two with a personal best time faster than Amantle’s. Those are mere statistics of course. Faster on paper. In the end, races are not run on paper but on the track.
About an hour before the 400m finals, a shot on TV showed Amantle warming up, stretching, with headphones to isolate herself from the outside world, concentrating on what lay ahead, listening to music? Which music? It looked professional. And of course it was. We knew she was not there alone. There was professional backup and support. Every one of those eight women had professional backup and support of course. Backup and support from people they were used to, people they trusted. After all, winning a race at this level is not only about a strong and well-coordinated musculature. It takes a strong mind as well. Dealing with the enormous psychological pressure, especially shortly before the race and at the starting line. Concentration. Avoiding a false start at all cost. Reaction time.
Daunting pressure. Amantle runs well as expected. She misses the gold medal by 2/10th of a second, the silver by 5/100th and the bronze by only 3/100th. Well done girl. You have done us proud.
Obviously there will be that familiar and trusted someone for you after the race to help you deal with your disappointment.
Two days later, it is reported that the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) in London is convening an ‘emergency meeting’ to discuss the absence of Amantle Montsho’s personal trainer at the competition. He was reportedly left behind due to ‘visa complications’.
Come again? While everyone else in London was surrounded with and supported by people close to them, by people they trusted and were familiar with, by people providing that all-necessary psychological and emotional support and encouragement, Amantle was deprived of all this? Had to basically fend for herself? Because a visa had not been arranged for? This is the way in which we support one of the finest athletes this country has ever produced? And then we have an emergency meeting after the damage has been done? In the process of writing this letter I have been searching for the proper adjective to use in this context for quite some time but I’m now quite sure it doesn’t exist. The best I can come up with is that this is absolutely and utterly unfathomable, which is of course an understatement of Olympic proportions.
Meanwhile, Amantle, you deserve all our respect and admiration. Maun is proud of you!
Ferdinand Berkhof
Maun
