MONTSHO Amantle

General
RETIREMENT PLANS
She initially planned to retire from athletics following the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Despite the postponement of the Games for one year, she still plans to retire in 2021 after the Games. "I am aware that I had made a pronouncement that I will retire from athletics after the 2020 Olympics, but I will represent my country in 2021. This year [speaking in 2020], I will be keeping a low profile and do more work on track." (thepatriot.co.bw, 18 Jun 2020; dailynews.gov.bw, 09 Jun 2020)

SANCTION
She was banned for two years between August 2014 and August 2016 after testing positive for methylhexaneamine at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. "I really missed representing my country, but I have learnt a good lesson. There is no time to cry over spilled milk. The most important thing for me is to now focus on track, what is done is done, it's a learning curve." (IAAF, 27 Apr 2015; dailynews.gov.bw, 22 Jan 2017; olympictalk.nbcsports.com, 18 Mar 2015; bbc.co.uk, 18 Mar 2015)

She and fellow Botswana sprinter Isaac Makwala won gold in the 400m men's and women's events at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. It was the first time in Commonwealth Games history the 400m men's and women's events had been won by athletes from the same country. (gc2018.com, 11 Apr 2018; SportsDeskOnline, 03 Jul 2020)

She became the first athlete from Botswana to win a world title when she took gold in the 400m at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, Republic of Korea. She also became the first athlete from Botswana to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, following her victory in the 400m at the 2010 Games in Delhi, India. (nytimes.com, 22 Apr 2012; bbc.co.uk, 18 Mar 2015; SportsDeskOnline, 03 Jul 2020)

At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, she became the first ever woman to represent Botswana at the Olympic Games. (nytimes.com, 22 Apr 2012; bbc.co.uk, 18 Mar 2015; SportsDeskOnline, 03 Jul 2020)