{{Short description|Motswana long-distance runner}} {{use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} {{Infobox athlete | name = Bigboy Matlapeng | birth_name = | image = | caption = | nationality = Motswana | sport = Long-distance running | event = Marathon | club = | collegeteam = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|2|4|df=yes}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | height = | weight = }}
'''Bigboy Josie Matlapeng''' (born 4 February 1958) is a Motswana long-distance runner and sprinter. He competed in the marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympics and the 1988 Summer Olympics.<ref name="SportsRef">{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ma/bigboy-matlapeng-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418095811/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ma/bigboy-matlapeng-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Bigboy Matlapeng Olympic Results |access-date=14 May 2017}}</ref>
==Career== Matlapeng had a marathon personal best of 2:33:34 hours going into the 1984 Olympic marathon.<ref>{{cite web |title=Men's marathon roster |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-argonaut-mens-marathon-roster/166808483/ |publisher=The Argonaut |access-date=27 February 2025 |page=2 |date=9 Aug 1984}}</ref> He was described sarcastically as a "household name" by commentators, mocking his unusual-sounding name in the "wonderfully monikered" field.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lasting Men's marathon may close Games with historic finish |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-lasting-mens/166808686/ |publisher=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=27 February 2025 |page=64 |date=12 Aug 1984}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sprint finish in the marathon? Could be |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-sprint-finish-in-the/166808805/ |publisher=Detroit Free Press |access-date=27 February 2025 |page=39 |date=12 Aug 1984}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Lopes, 37, was frisky as a colt at end of 26.2-mile trot |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-lopes-37-was-frisky-as/166809578/ |publisher=Tampa Bay Times |access-date=27 February 2025 |page=29 |date=13 Aug 1984}}</ref> He started the Olympic marathon, but did not finish the race.<ref name=o>{{Olympedia}}</ref>
By 1986, Matlapang had improved his marathon best to 2:17:47, setting a Botswanan record and making him a favorite to break the course record at the 1986 Churchdown 10-mile Beer Race in Gloucestershire.<ref>{{cite web |title=ATHLETICS: Bigboy Matlapeng |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/western-daily-press-athletics-bigboy-ma/166810579/ |publisher=Western Daily Press |access-date=27 February 2025 |page=33 |date=19 Jul 1986}}</ref> Though he underperformed at the Beer Race, he was selected to represent Botswana at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in the marathon, where he placed 14th.<ref>{{cite web |title=Games pair head for City race |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-citizen-games-pair-head-for-city-rac/166810150/ |publisher=The Citizen |access-date=27 February 2025 |page=20 |date=7 Jul 1986}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Bigboy finds the going tough |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/western-daily-press-bigboy-finds-the-goi/166810635/ |publisher=Western Daily Press |access-date=27 February 2025 |page=24 |date=21 Jul 1986}}</ref> Surprisingly, Matlapeng moved down in distance by a factor of over 100 times to compete in the Botswanan 4 × 400 m relay team after the marathon, though his team was disqualified and didn't advance to the finals.<ref>{{cite web |title=Botswana's Bigboy Matlapeng, having finished a creditable 14th in Friday morning's marathon... |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-sun-botswanas-bigboy-matlapeng/166810790/ |publisher=Sunday Sun |access-date=27 February 2025 |page=42 |date=3 Aug 1986}}</ref> Matlapeng's performance in such disparate events led to debate about the seriousness of the Commonwealth Games.<ref>{{cite web |title=Games future in doubt |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/horncastle-target-games-future-in-doubt/166810986/ |publisher=Horncastle Target |access-date=27 February 2025 |page=34 |date=7 Aug 1986}}</ref>
Matlapeng qualified for his first World Championships at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics, where he competed in the marathon. He finished 29th in a time of 2:24:43 and was again lauded for his name.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meet Ends With Blazing U.S. Victory |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-meet-ends-with-b/166811191/ |publisher=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |access-date=27 February 2025 |page=23 |date=7 Sep 1987}}</ref><ref name=t>{{Tilastopaja|98648}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=All the Hoopla Without the Hassles |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-all-the-hoopla-without-the-hassl/166811656/ |publisher=Newsday |access-date=27 February 2025 |page=95 |date=8 Sep 1987}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=A sports market plunge |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-journal-a-sports-market-plun/166811730/ |publisher=The Atlanta Journal |access-date=27 February 2025 |page=31 |date=30 Oct 1987}}</ref> At the 1988 Olympic Games marathon, Matlapeng finished 34th in 2:20:51. He competed again at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in the marathon, finishing 14th again.<ref name=t />
Matlapeng competed at the 1987 and 1989 editions of the World Marathon Cup, finishing 66th and 57th respectively.<ref>{{World Athletics}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{sports links}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Matlapeng, Bigboy}} Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics Category:Botswana men long-distance runners Category:Botswana men marathon runners Category:Olympic athletes for Botswana Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Botswana Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1986 Commonwealth Games Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Botswana men sprinters {{Botswana-athletics-bio-stub}}