Africa-Press – Botswana. With the exception of sprint events – 100m, 200m, and 400m – where the top 24 runners for both men and women have qualified, the National Finals will see the best 16 athletes in each race competing for national honours.
The Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) is finalising preparations for its highly-anticipated National Finals, scheduled to take place from 16 to 18 May at Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown.
According to BAA Vice President for Administration, Oabona Theetso, the preparations are progressing well for an event that will bring together Botswana’s top talent.
With the exception of the sprint events – 100m, 200m, and 400m – where the top 24 runners for both men and women have qualified, the National Finals will see the best 16 athletes in each race competing for national honours.
No sponsorship
“We are excited to host the best athletes that Botswana has to offer,” said Theetso in a telephone interview. “It’s going to be very competitive and we look forward to seeing some exciting performances.”
However, in a notable change from previous years, the National Finals will proceed without a sponsor after Debswana, a long-time supporter of the event, ended its sponsorship contract with BAA this year.
“For this year, our Nationals will not have sponsors,” Theetso explained. “It has been Debswana over the past years, but our contract with them has ended and we hope it will be renewed.”
Athletes’ slow times
Theetso expressed optimism that talks with Debswana and other potential partners will bear fruit in the near future, ensuring future editions of the championships are well-resourced.
Meanwhile, concern has been raised about the relatively slow times that some local athletes are clocking ahead of major competitions. A case in point is Botswana’s sprint sensation, Letsile Tebogo, who ran 10.20s in the 100m at a recent Diamond League meet – slower than his personal bests.
Theetso, who is also an athletics coach, said the apparent sluggishness could be part of a deliberate strategy. “The athletes are still slow,” he noted. “We don’t want them to reach peak early and burn out.
World Championships
“Remember, the World Championships are going to be held in September this year, which is an odd month on the athletics calendar. This means athletes have to maintain fitness throughout the season. Coaches need to be very careful about how they manage their athletes’ training loads.”
He warned against premature peak performances that could lead to fatigue or injury later in the season when international competitions intensify.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
