Africa’s fastest woman, Marie-Josée Ta Lou of Ivory Coast, is set to be one of the main attractions at the FNB Botswana Grand Prix this Saturday at the National Stadium in Gaborone. The star-studded event will see her face stiff competition from Namibia’s Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi, who are making their latest bids to return to top form after a series of setbacks.
Mboma and Masilingi, once teenage sensations in the 200m, have faced challenges since their breakout performances four years ago. Their return to competitive action last year was short-lived as injuries disrupted their progress. Mboma, who competed at the South African Grand Prix in Johannesburg last month, appeared heavier and struggled to regain her former explosiveness following a long injury layoff.
Meanwhile, Masilingi showed signs of a strong comeback earlier this year with solid performances on the European circuit, which helped her qualify for the Indoor World Athletics Championships. However, her momentum was halted late last month when she suffered a shoulder injury while warming up for the women’s 60m heats in Nanjing, China. The FNB Botswana Grand Prix will mark her first race since that setback, providing an opportunity to assess her recovery and competitive form.
With Ta Lou leading the charge, the sprint battles in Gaborone promise to deliver thrilling performances as some of Africa’s top female sprinters look to stamp their authority on the track.
