27 Apr 2022

Gaborone International Meet (GIM) organisers breathed a sigh of relief as Mascom Wireless came to the party at the nick of time for year’s competition billed for Saturday.    

The mobile communications giant availed P200 000 to purge the planners’ frustrations that were born of the prospective sponsors’ sluggishness in supporting the event.

 Speaking at the sponsorship launch on Tuesday, Mascom communications and public relations head, Tebogo Lebotse-Sebego said the company  made their initial commitment in 2019 as they were convinced of the validity and importance of the meet, which is in its third year running. 

“A promise we kept, for 2018 and 2019 editions we put forward a sponsorship of P100 000 per event and this year we are excited to double this amount and reveal a sponsorship amount of P200 000 for this edition,” she said. Lebotse-Sebego said Mascom continued to support Botswana sport simply because sport made sense, hence it was universally compelling. 

She added that sport was a powerful tool for unity and demonstration of courage and the will of the human spirit.

Lebotse-Sebego also described   sport as conversation that cut across all nationalities, religions, political affiliation, gender and age. “For us at Mascom, we call ourselves the Number 1 supporter of Botswana sport. 

Our drive to support sport is out of a genuine intention, and pride to be part of the evolving Botswana story, which continues to make us proud locally and on the international stage.”

For his part, GIM Local Organising Committee chairperson, Barulaganye Mogotsi shared that World Athletics had given them a Continental Tour, bronze status.

Their event, he said, was the only meet that had such a status in Southern Africa, adding that it was ranked among the top five worldwide.

Concerning progress in preparation for the event, he said the National Stadium was the competition venue while Lekidi Football Centre would be the warm up area. 

In terms of technical assistance, he said Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) was providing GIM 2022 with all the required equipment and implements including electronic timing equipment.

Mogotsi said BAA had provided the team with 52 active and certified technical officials, adding that the Confederation of African Athletics CAA had appointed an international technical delegate to ensure that the Meet was run in accordance with World Athletics rules and tour regulations.

“I wish to confirm that at this point, the technical delegate is Enias Nhoro from Zimbabwe. 

Further, BAA has appointed  Thomas Ndadziila as the technical director of the meet.”

He said the two international technical officials would at the end of the meet produce a report,which would determine their progress in order to upgrade from the Continental Tour Bronze to either silver or gold status. 

Mogotsi said they had their peer international delegate in Martin Keino, whom he said continued to work with them in preparation for the Meet. 

“Martin and colleagues in Kenya have hosted a similar event, but at Continental Tour Gold status. We also have a crew from Mauritius who are coming here to benchmark because they will be hosting Africa Senior Championships later in the year.

We also have John Chizu from Zambia forming part of the professional timing crew lead by our very own Tshepo Kelaotswe,” he said. ends