08 Mar 2017

Gaborone International Meet (GIM) is once again on the horizon;  this time promising to be bigger and better.
The race will be held at the National Stadium in April 29.
The annual athletics meet, which will be hosted by Sport View Runners Club, will give local athletes the opportunity to battle it out with other athletes from Europe, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho and other countries.
Speaking at the meet launch recently, Sport View Runners Club chairperson, Glody Dube said GIM, would sponsor athletes from outside the country with  accommodation, transport, feeding and massage services to two athletes per country, while costs for the rest of other athletes would be responsibility of their federations.
“Our event is not similar to any other event. We have chosen some races looking at where we are strong as a country. There is absolutely no point to include steeplechase when we know we are not strong in that area,” he said.
This year’s event, he said would be divided into three categories, premium, classic and promotional.
The premium category, he noted is an area that Botswana was strong in, adding that it was in this category that winners  would be paid more prize money, should they manage to secure nmore sponsors.
Dube said the premium bracket would be made of 400m, men and women, 800m men, 100m men, 200m women and high jump.
The classic category, he said would be made up of 5000m men, 3000m women, javelin men, long jump women and triple jump men.
The promotional category, he said would be made up of events meant to entice athletes.  He said the category would be made of 100m women, 110m hurdles men, 200m metres pole vault.
He said they would also have Special Olympic races in 100m in this year’s event.
“After reviewing the races of the past few years, taking note the growth of our meet, we decided that this would be ideal to ensure a smoother and safer event for everyone.
This year, he said they had  invited an Anti-Doping Agency through the help of BNOC,” he said.
Already, he said they had secured P5 000 sponsorship from Special Olympics Botswana director, Ross Tebele, P5 000 from  Lefa Welding Engineering Pty Ltd, while Rolling Wheels (Pty) Ltd had sponsored with P30 000 and P40 000 from Khayelihle Guest House, which was the main sponsor.
He said they were still open to other companies and other stakeholders coming on board. ENDS