23 Jun 2022

Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) will tomorrow hold final series meant to help athletes qualify for major competitions.

Through the event scheduled for the National Stadium, atheltes could, among others, qualify for World Athletics Championships billed for Oregon July 15-24 and World Athletics U20 Championships slated for Columbia.

In an interview, BAA vice president administration, Oabona Theetso, said the final series would be open to all athletes.

“The event is not through invitation, we want all the athletes to come and compete. Who knows, maybe we might have a surprise package at the end of the competition,” he said.

Theetso said the series would give coaches and athletes an opportunity to look at areas that need to be rectified before major competitions.

He, therefore, encouraged athletes to attend the event given that it would be the association’s final event of the year. 

The VP said they were expecting three athletes per club, per event. 

He said they intended to have 12 activities, including field events.

Theetso said long jumper, Tlhalosang Tshireletso’s qualification for the World Championships meant a lot, adding expectations were that he would competie tomorrow for Batswana to appreciate him on home soil.

“We are not going to have another event after this one as we will be scattered around the world representing the country in international competitions.

Be mindful that we have Commonwealth Games on cards, so generally we had a busy season,” he said.

The 400 metres runner, Baboloki Thebe, who has been missing in action has confirmed that he would be competing at the series final.

He said he had been training hard and  was optimistic to use the weekend series to qualify.

“I am aware that time is clicking and the deadline is around the corner, therefore I have to give any meet my all.

 Apart from the Saturday meet I have other races lined up in Europe and my plan is  to better my time so that I make it to the relay team,” he said. ENDS