Botswana’s athletics success story gathered further momentum on Sunday as the wing-footed athletics sensation Busang Collen Kebinatshipi did what only he knows best when he stormed to victory in the men’s 400 metres at the Paris Diamond League, setting a new meeting record and reinforcing his status among the world’s elite quarter-milers. Reports 2nd Republic Staffer.
Botswana’s golden era in athletics continued in emphatic fashion on Sunday when sprinter Busang Collen Kebinatshipi delivered a stunning performance to win the men’s 400 metres at the Paris Diamond League, rewriting the meeting record with a blistering run of 43.54 seconds.
The Botswana star produced a composed and powerful finish to overcome a high-quality international field, claiming his second Diamond League victory of the 2026 season and underlining his growing reputation as one of the world’s premier one-lap runners.
Throughout the race, Kebinatshipi held off Zakithi Nene of South Africa, who crossed the line in 43.89 seconds, while American Chris Bailey finished third in 44.06 seconds.
His winning time not only earned maximum points on the Diamond League circuit but also erased the previous Paris meeting record, marking another milestone in what has been an outstanding season for the Botswana athlete.
Speaking to the media after the race, Kebinatshipi credited his success to consistent preparation while signalling that he is still targeting even faster performances.
“I am happy with the performance. The hard work is paying off, but there is still more to come,” he said.
The latest victory sign
strengthened Kebinatshipi’s bid for the Diamond League title as the season heads into its decisive stages. Having already claimed two victories this year, he has emerged as one of the favourites to lift the overall 400m crown.
His triumph also adds to Botswana’s growing reputation as a global sprinting powerhouse. In recent years, the country has consistently produced world-class quarter-milers capable of competing for medals and titles on the biggest stages, further elevating Botswana’s profile in international athletics.
Meanwhile, Batswana also had reason to celebrate in the women’s 800 metres, where Oratile Nowe delivered a season’s best performance.
Nowe finished seventh in a highly competitive race, clocking 1 minute 57.46 seconds to continue her steady progress against some of the world’s leading middle-distance athletes.
The race was won by Switzerland’s Audrey Werro, who produced a remarkable run of 1:53.80 to set a new Diamond League record.
Although she narrowly missed a podium finish, Nowe’s season’s best time proved to be a timely morale booster as she builds towards the major championships later this year.
Even so, on the other hand, for Kebinatshipi, the victory represented a solid statement of his readiness to consistently challenge for global honours.
Against this backdrop of growing confidence and his form peaking at the right time, the Botswana sprinter appears well poised to be among the favourites in every major 400-metre race for the remainder of the season.
