An untimely injury has shattered the dreams of national 200 and 400m track athlete Pako Seribe to compete at this year’s Rio 2016 Olympics. The athlete, who was part of the 400X400m relay, and a recipient of the Olympic Solidarity scholarship, will now twiddle his thumbs as his compatriots set the tracks alight at the world’s greatest sporting showpiece.
Seribe suffered a major setback after tearing his tendons at the national championships that were staged in Molepolole earlier this year. The athlete was then ruled out for the rest of the season despite being part of the 400m by 4 relay team that qualified for the Rio Olympics last year at the world relays in USA alongside Laaname Maotoanong, Zachariah Kamberuka, Issac Makwala and Nigel Amos.
The setback has devastated the track star, who explained that the injury deterred his final Olympics preparations because he was at his peak following a four year training scholarship that he was awarded by BNOC.
“I was under a BNOC Olympics scholarship and I had worked hard to prove my worth. I was based in Europe where I was trained by best coaches in the world. I decided to come back home for the national championships as we are encouraged to take part in the local events and that is where my hopes were crushed and my nightmare realised. I have suffered both physically and psychologically as I really wanted to prove the significance of the scholarship but things didn’t turn right,” he said.
He further stated that his injury nightmare is not a thing to forget overnight because it affected him to a point where he endured stress and depression as it is every athlete’s wish to compete at international level where there are whole lots of life time opportunities that contributes in the growth of athletes.
“I went through a lot after the injury and I was always fighting with my emotions because it was like the end of my career which I invested in for the past years. Being part of the team that qualified for the Olympics and then being dropped due to injury is painful and I gave up on Olympics. I cannot rewind back the time and this injury is a learning curve for me that athletics can be a short career. I am however happy because my team mates will represent the country well and that’s how I console myself at times,” lamented Seribe.
Despite the setbacks, Seribe expressed gratitude at the support from the BNOC, who took care of his huge medical bills and his family and friends for offering the much needed support during trying times. He said at the moment, he is currently working on his emotional and physical fitness before he heads back to the running track in preparations for next season.
“The Olympic Committee has been there for me through thin and thick in making sure that I get better and I appreciate their efforts and I am readying for the next season because I am focusing on my recovery and I am still 25 years old and I am hoping for another scholarship to prove myself at all costs,” the former African Junior champion in 400m added.
