Hosting relays welcome development
27 Mar 2025
Winning the bid to host the World Athletics Relays next year is a welcome development for both the country and Botswana athletics.
This was said by Sunday Standard Sports Editor, Botlhale Koothopile in interview, adding that hosting would also give the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) the opportunity to use the event to develop and grow athletics.
“It is a step in the right direction, both in the development of athletics and in Botswana’s economic diversification pursuits. For athletics, hosting this event just goes beyond bringing athletes to compete here,” he said.
By virtue of hosting the relays, he said BAA would also have the opportunity to push for the development of facilities.
These developments, he said, would also put Botswana athletics in a good position to host more international events in the future.
“Also, leading to the World Relays, BAA can also push for more programmes from World Athletics to develop its grassroots development programmes as well as coaching and other technical areas for the benefit of athletics.
These can include, among many things, workshops for coaches and athletes with the help of expert coaches who will be in the country as well as the development of our various technical officials and technical abilities to host quality competitions,” he said.
Koothopille said hosting the event would also serve as a good platform for the country to advertise itself as a tourism destination of choice as well as a good place for foreign investment.
“For the Botswana National Sport Commission and the Ministry of Sport and Arts, one can hope that they will take the opportunity when we are hosting to undertake research on how hosting sport events benefit the country,” he said.
The research, he said, should include among others, trickle-down effect of hosting on small businesses, number of tourists coming into the country before, during, and after the event, as well as the impact of the event on hospitality and infrastructure development.
Meanwhile, since its inception in 2014, the World Relays will be held in Africa for the first time in 2026. Nasau, Bahamas has hosted the relays in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2024.
In 2019, they were held in Yokohama, Japan and were in Chorzow, Poland in 2021, while this year, they will be in Guangzhou, China where the world athletics body is expected to introduce the 4x100m mixed relays. Nasau, Bahamas will also have the opportunity to host for the fifth time in 2028. ENDS
Source : BOPA
Author : Anastacia Sibanda
Location : Gaborone
Event : Interview
Date : 27 Mar 2025
Related News
29 Apr 2025
29 Apr 2025
Fans eulogise Tshosane
29 Apr 2025
Optometrists classification crucial
29 Apr 2025
BFA drills referees on VAR
29 Apr 2025
