27 May 2018

Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) is not worried by the quota for 2018 Youth Olympic Games to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Africa has been allocated 57 spaces in the boys’ category in all events and only 43 slots for the girls' category.

In the boys' category, Africa was allocated five slots in the 400m and eight in the 800m.

In the girls' category, Africa was allocated three slots in the 400m and five in 800m.

The 3rd African Youth Games Algiers 2018, which will be held in July will be used as 2018 Youth Olympic Games qualifiers, and the criteria used will be one entry per country per event.

Thus, it means that Botswana can only field one athlete in the 400m while Kenya is expected to field one athlete in the 3 000m.

Some athletics commentators are of view that, the quota system is a step in the right direction as it has potential to see many African countries sending athletes to Argentina for the Youth Olympic Games.

Botswana Athletics Association vice president, Kenneth Kikwe said in an interview that the quota meant that Botswana would field one athlete in one event.

He said if the athlete finished in top five, he or she would automatically qualify for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

“In Botswana, we are strong in 400m, while Kenya is strong in 3000m or long distance.

And you know on good day if we field three athletes they all have the potential to win. Therefore, this quota gives countries the opportunity to be represented,” he said.

According to Kikwe, this would also force nations to field their best athletes as the games would be more competitive.

BAA, he said had already sent a preliminary list of 20 athletes to Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC).

He said they had long given BNOC the list and they had to modify it after Botswana Integrated Sports Association championships, and the Confederation of School Sports Association in Southern Africa games.

He said they had chosen their best athletes looking at their performance this year and how they had performed during training and competitions.

The African Youth Games will be held in Algiers, Algeria from July 19-28, while the third edition of the Youth Olympic Games will be held from in Buenos Aires, Argentina from October 6-18. ENDS