Unsung hero about to retire
With a string of international medals, the visually impaired Keatlaretse ‘ Carter’ Mabote prepares for life after competitive sports
Disability surely is not inability. Keatlaretse Mabote of Paralympics Association of Botswana ( PASSOBO) continues to confirm this. Carter, as he is popularly known, needs no introduction in Botswana sport circles. He is a visually impaired athlete with T12 classification from the International Paralympic Committee.
Carter has not allowed his visual impairment to limit his passion and talents. He competes in the 400m and 200m races and has represented the country at numerous events internationally, winning medal after medal. One of Carter’s highest honors was when he was Botswana’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 15th Summer Paralympic Games, a major international multi- sport event for athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee, which were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in September 2016.
Carter’s talent in sport became more visible in 2006 when he represented the country at the African Union Sports Council ( AUSC) Region 5 Games which were held in Windhoek, Namibia, where he scooped 3 medals from the event.
The 400m and 200m races saw him win the gold medals while he won a silver medal in the 100m race. In the same year he competed in national competitions hosted by PASSOBO, specializing mostly in 400m races where he was dominating.
He continued with his athletics journey through out 2011 and the following years representing the country at various prestigious events where later he competed in Tunisia at the Grand Prix, where he won bronze under the 400m category. In 2014 the promising athlete succumbed to injury which led him into taking a break from competitions.
Carter’s return in 2015 saw him hit the ground running, he went on to represent the country at the All- Africa Games that were hosted in Congo Brazzaville. Carter qualified for the final of the 400m race at the event. In 2016 he travelled to Beijing, China for the China Championships where he won a bronze medal in the 400m race and thereafter brought yet again silver medals in both the 400m and 200m races qualifying him for the Rio, Brazil Summer Paralympic Games where he registered a personal best time.
In 2017, Carter won the Sports Man of the Year with disability award at the Botswana Sport Awards.
His great achievements thus far won him a scholarship and training opportunity with Stellenbosch University for a month.
As Carter prepares for his retirement, he highlights that it is important that he gives back to sport by developing talent from grassroots in schools. He has acquired a certificate in Para- Coaching. The athlete also conducts motivational talks. Carter encourages other athletes with disability to accept themselves and be sociable with other members of the society, emphasizing time and again that disability is not inability. He encourages even parents to not hide kids with disability.
Carter concluded by asking for more inclusive training facilities around the country to even cater for those who are far from proper training facilities or those without money to travel to stadiums.