Mikia Kalati
Lesotho sprint king, Mosito Lehata, says he is recovering from a muscle injury suffered during the recent Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, Scotland.
The Mauritius-based runner further revealed to the Lesotho Times this week that he expects to be back on the track in October this year, after injury saw him end the 200metre race in fourth place on 31 July, narrowly losing out on a medal.
Lehata, who was the country’s only athlete to reach the finals in Glasgow, said he was at home taking a break from his training camp in Mauritius, where he has been based since 2010.
“I’m here at home taking a break, while also recovering from this injury I suffered at the Commonwealth Games (on 31 July),” Lehata said.
The 24-year-old, who came to national prominence during the 2010 African Athletics Championship held in Kenya, further said he was hoping to excel at next year’s International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships set for Beijing, China.
“I feel a lot better because I’m not even using painkillers now, as was the case a few weeks ago, and I don’t feel pain anymore even when I’m walking around.
“For me now, the target is to do well at the IAAF World Championship in Beijing, but I also want to run for my country, which means I will also be at the 2015 All-Africa Games set for the Republic of Congo.”
Lahata also took time to talk about his base in Mauritius, which he feels has helped him become a better professional.
“First of all, I should give credit to all the people who have been with me on this journey, especially my parents who have always supported my talent and helped me live a dream of succeeding in athletics,” said Lehata.
“My love for athletics started and improved during my days at Thabeng High School in Morija and from there, I worked with good coaches who helped me become a better athlete.
“Being based in Mauritius has really worked wonders for me as I regularly compete with good athletes, while I also get a chance to compete in Europe a lot. All this has helped me become a better athlete.
“Also believing in my abilities and living like a true professional has helped boost my performance, hence my steady progress, which I can say I am pleased about,” he said.
