05 May 2022

He is celebrated for the new 100m World Under 20 record of 9.96, but it is not yet party time for Letsile Tebogo.

Despite the new record registered at the recent Gaborone International Meet (GIM),  there is one more step for Botswana to fulfil before Tebogo’s feat could be recognised by the World Athletics.

As per set standards, Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) has 30 days to submit required details for Tebogo’s time to be approved.

To comply, BAA has to, among other things, submit the number of spike nails and the length of the spike nails that the sensational athlete used to break the World U-20 record.
Pending Botswana’s submission, American Trayvon Bromell is still the race’s record holder at 9.97 set in 2014, hence Tebogo’s time on World Athletics website being marked with a star.

In an interview the GIM competition director, Thomas Ndadziila, said if a meet produced a world record, the World Athletics would  normally send a form for application of the record to be recognised.

“One is expected to fill the details of the athlete who broke the record and indicate whether it is World Under 20 or World Record,” he said.

The form has provision where details of the athlete must be noted such as bib number, the name of the meet and the type of the spike the athlete used.
Ndadziila said the spike should meet the requirements as stipulated in the rules.

“The rule says the number of spike nails should not be more than 11 and the length of the spike nails should be nine millimetres. The 13mm nails are used for high jump and javelin,” he explained.

Ndadziila said there were instances where some athletes used spikes without considering World Athletics requirements, adding that disregarding such could cost them dearly in case they break a record.  

He said a record registered using unspecified requirements would not be recognised.

According to the athletics mother body, shoe regulation 7.1.1 stipulates that any proposal to customise an existing shoe or new shoe should be submitted to them for approval in accordance with laid down procedure.

Ndadziila added that the athlete’s doping results should also be submitted bearing all the details of the laboratory that conducted the test in compliance with World Athletics standards.

He said all the constituents of the race matters such as the details of the one overseeing the race as well as signed results.

Ndadziila said for the time ratification, those responsible must submit the reaction time for the event to ensure that it was not a record achieved through a false start.

He said should BAA fail to submit within 30 days, Bromell would remain the World U-20 record holder.

For his part, BAA vice president, Oabona Theetso said they had already submitted GIM results, but they would need to submit the results and reaction time for 100 metres separately, adding that the submission would have all necessary details.

Tebogo’s coach, Dose Mosimanyane said he was not aware of all requirements neeeded for World Athletics to ratify the time.

“Remember, as a country we never registered a World Record. This is a first and thanks to Letsile now we know all the requirements,” he said.

Mosimanyane, however, said he was happy that they had fulfilled all the requirements, adding that Tebogo was using appropriate spike.

He said the World Athletics shoe regulations were clear and he was confident that the athlete’s time would soon be recognised. ENDS