On 4th July 1983 Amantle Montsho was born in Maun, Botswana to Victor Nkape and Janet Montsho. Life was quite a struggle for the family – particularly when Janet left the family home after two years leaving Amantle in the the loving care of her father though she did meet her mother regularly throughout her childhood. Victor had been a talented distance runner but did not imagine for a moment that his daughter would one day inspire the women of Botswana with her success in a World Championship track event! She inspired everybody of course but I mention the women because no man in Botswana took women or athletics seriously until this wonderful woman showed them that how wrong they were!
I found an excellent article in the New York Times written in 2012 with the title: The Footprints on a Path to Gold: Amantle Montsho Overcomes Obstacles to Become a Track Champion. The article provides an insight into her amazing rise to fame but if you want a good idea of what life was like on a day by day basis in Maun you couldn’t do better than read the novel Eleven Miles which was based on the life of another Batswana lady born in the same place under the same limitations.
Many happy returns of the day Amantle! 🙂
