Running News Daily

Botswana’s athletics community is mourning the sudden death of former national team sprinter Gaone Leaname Maotoanong, affectionately known as “Lux,” who represented his country at major international championships and played a significant role in its relay success.

The Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) announced his passing in a bereavement notice issued on October 22, 2026, paying tribute to an athlete whose dedication, talent and commitment to excellence earned him respect across the athletics fraternity. Maotoanong was born in 1991 and died in 2026.

Throughout his career, Maotoanong proudly wore Botswana’s national colours on some of the biggest stages in athletics, contributing to the country’s growing reputation in the men’s 4x400m relay. His international achievements included competing at the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, Commonwealth Games, World Athletics Relays and continental championships.

One of the standout moments of his career came at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Australia, where he was part of Botswana’s gold-medal-winning 4x400m relay team. The victory represented a major achievement for the southern African nation and reinforced its standing among the leading relay teams on the continent.

Maotoanong also represented Botswana at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, where the national 4x400m relay team reached the final and finished fifth. He subsequently featured in the country’s relay squad at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, having also competed at the 2015 edition in Beijing, China.

His experience on the global stage extended to the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas in 2015 and 2017, where Botswana’s 4x400m relay teams reached the finals. These appearances reflected his place within a generation of athletes helping Botswana establish itself as a consistent presence in international relay competition.

At continental level, Maotoanong enjoyed further success, winning gold in the 4x400m relay at the African Championships in Marrakech, Morocco, in 2014 and again in Durban, South Africa, in 2016. He also helped Botswana secure silver in the relay at the 2015 African Games in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.

His achievements were not limited to relay racing. Maotoanong demonstrated his individual ability in the 400m by winning silver at the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea, adding another significant accomplishment to his international career.

Beyond his appearances at major championships, he competed at the Commonwealth Games, African Games, African Championships, Diamond League meetings and numerous other international competitions, building a career defined by service to his country and commitment to athletics.

A Legacy Beyond The Track

Maotoanong’s contribution to Botswana athletics extended beyond competition. According to the BAA, he served as a member of the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) Athletes’ Commission from 2022 to 2025, where he contributed to efforts to advance athletes’ interests and welfare.

The role reflected another dimension of his involvement in sport, demonstrating a commitment to athlete representation and sports development beyond his own performances on the track.

In its tribute, the BAA remembered Maotoanong as an athlete, leader, mentor and friend whose contributions had left a lasting mark on Botswana athletics. The association also extended its condolences to his family, friends, teammates and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

His passing represents a profound loss for Botswana’s sporting community, particularly those who shared in the country’s relay achievements and witnessed his dedication to representing the national team. His legacy will remain part of the story of Botswana’s development as a force in African and international athletics.

As tributes emerge, Maotoanong will be remembered not only for the medals and championships he helped his country achieve, but also for his service to fellow athletes and his contribution to the wider sporting fraternity.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be communicated by the Botswana Athletics Association in due course.

Gaone “Lux” Maotoanong’s name will endure in Botswana athletics as a reminder of a career spent representing his country with pride, both on the track and in service to the athletes who followed.