11 Jun 2023

Botswana’s 4x400 mixed relay team is now in the World Championships’ qualifying bracket after clocking 3:15.29 during Lefika International Relays held at the National Stadium on Saturday.

The quartet; Laone Ditshetelo, Lydia Jele, Baboloki Thebe and Obakeng Kamberuka have placed the country in position nine in the mixed relay standings.

Position two went to Botswana B and Lions Den Athletics Club with a time of 3:17.08 and 3:35.40 respectively.

The relay qualifying standards, according to World Athletics, were changed after the World Relays which was supposed to be held in Guangzhou was postponed to 2025.

The World Athletics governing body then came up with a new format, stating that the first eight placed teams at the 2022 Oregon World Athletics Championships would automatically qualify and the best ranked teams at the end of July 30 qualification period will fill the eight remaining places according to the best performances.

As per the new qualification format to date, Botswana comes after Dominican Republic, Netherlands, United States, Poland, Jamaica, Nigeria, Italy and Ireland.

In that regard, Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) vice president, Oabona Theetso, said he was happy that the mixed relay currently stood a good chance given that they were now ranked above many countries.

He said for the team to cement its position, it was important that they continued to compete so that they would not drop off their position.

“The fear is that other countries, more especially in Europe, are competing and should they run better times, it means they can take us out of the top 16 bracket, remember we are now in winter season and most of the countries are not competing,” he said.

Theetso said funds permitting, they would not hesitate to take the team to Europe, adding that should it qualify,  it would be the first time that the senior 4x400 mixed relay compete at the World Championships.

In other relays, Botswana national men’s 4x100 team finished on position one followed by UB while Lesotho came third.

In the hurdles, Kemorena Tisang finished first in 400m with 49.30, Victor Ntweng settled for position two with 49.73 while position three went to Tshotlego Frecky with 52.87. Ends