Teen turbos ‘the real deal’

SPRINT sensations Beatrice Masilingi and Christine Mboma would have strolled into the United States of America’s Olympic Games-bound women’s 400m team, which includes the decorated Allison Felix, over the weekend.

That is the level at which the pair has been running over the past few months.

The 400m is traditionally a US stronghold discipline, which their athletes have dominated at major competitions for decades.

With her 49,88 seconds victory in Chorzow, Poland on Sunday, 18-year-old Masilingi would have placed second, ahead of the decorated Felix, at the US track and field Olympic trials the same day.

Masilingi’s 49,53 seconds personal best mark from April would have secured first place in Eugene.

Her compatriot, Mboma (17), would have won the US trials at a canter with her world junior under-20 record time of 49,22 set at the national championships in April.

She ran 49,24 seconds at the All-Comers meet in Lusaka, Zambia, a week earlier.

The evergreen Felix (35), who has won nine Olympic medals, including six golds, over her career, clocked 50,02 seconds on Sunday, to finish second behind Quanera Hayes, who won in 49,78 seconds, while Wadeline Jonathas (50,02 seconds) was third.

Naturally, social media has been awash with admiration and national pride over the youngsters’ exploits.

“These two girls are the real deal. Congratulations to them and their coaches,” Latoya Gowases commented on Facebook.

The Namibian starlets’ performances in Europe have dispelled any misgivings the world had about earlier blistering ‘high-altitude’ times recorded at home, South Africa, Zambia and Kenya.

Their rapid rise has the nation excited about the Olympic Games for the first time in a very long time.

Since 2004 to be exact.

That was the year the legendary and original Namibian sprint sensation Frank Fredericks last laced up at an Olympic event, aged 36.

Blighted by injuries since 2000, when he missed the Sydney Games, the two-time Olympic double silver medallist could only manage fourth in the 200m in 2004 in Athens, where he was also eliminated at the quarter-final stage in the 100 m.

But the turbo-charged teen double act has picked up the baton and is looking a serious threat just over three weeks shy of the Tokyo spectacle.

“It has been a very, very long, long time since we had credible, consistent and reliable athletes at a world-class level from Namibia. Go girls, make us proud,” an impressed DeWet Dawid Colin said on Facebook.

Shaun Cloete added: “Wa was die meisies die hele tyd . . . man, hulle kan hardloop (where have these girls been this whole time . . . man, they can run).”

Not to be outdone, their classmates and teachers at Grootfontein’s Nova Stella Educational Institute said they were immensely proud of their ambassadors.

“It is an honour to be part of your athletic journey and to see you grow with every step you take. We can’t wait for the Tokyo Olympics end of July,” the institute posted on their social media pages.

The talented duo and their coach Henk Botha took the support in their stride, saying they were happy to be a welcome distraction from the raging Covid-19 pandemic.

“ . . . we know our nation is on its knees with this awful pandemic. We would like to give our condolences to all of those who lost family members and friends. We dedicate these races to the whole nation, fighting together against this disease,” Botha and his apprentices said in a statement issued by Athletics Namibia.

“Please stay safe and stick to the rules. Together we can and will beat this pandemic.”

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