MASERU — Lesotho’s “Golden Girl” Selloane Tšoaeli is confident of another historic performance when she competes at the IAAF Continental Cup which starts tomorrow in Split, Croatia.
The 33-year-old high jumper is part of the Africa team battling for honours in field and track events against Europe, Americas and Australasia.
Tšoaeli, who left for the international meet yesterday, will be the first Mosotho to take part in the competition since it began in 1977.
She made it into the team for the IAAF Continental Cup after clinching gold in high jump at the African Senior Championships held in Kenya.
Tšoaeli also won a heptathlon bronze at the same event.
Before leaving for Croatia, she told the Lesotho Times she was confident of putting up a good performance in the high jump event.
“I’m looking forward to competition and the challenge,” Tšoaeli said on Tuesday.
“I’ll be among the divas of high jump like Blanca (Vlasic) from Croatia and Chantelle from America.”
She said she would have preferred to spend more time with her coach, Cuban Reynaldo Salas, who is one of Lesotho’s two coaches at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore which ended last Thursday.
“I feel good but unfortunately my coach hasn’t been here,” Tšoaeli said.
“But he left me a programme to follow. Even though it’s difficult to train without someone showing you your mistakes, I feel I did what he said.
“In terms of technique, although he wasn’t completely happy yesterday (Monday), he saw that I followed his instructions.”
Despite the setback, Tšoaeli said her aim was to make it to the top five and improve on her personal best jump of 1.75 metres set at the African Championships.
“I want to make the top five. If I can make the top five and beat my personal best then I will be happy,” she said.
After the IAAF Continental Cup, Tšoaeli will set her sights on the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, in October.
“We have been told that there will be a training camp for India which is starting on the 1st of September until we leave,” she said.
