28 Mar 2019

The National Stadium will be a place to be on March 30 as Lefika Athletics Club will be hosting relays and hurdles events.

Relay teams from different clubs will compete in the senior category in the 4x100 metres, 4x200m, 4x400m, 4x800m, 4x1 500m and 4x400m mixed relay. The junior category is made up of 4x100m, 4x200m, 4x400m, 4x800m and 4x400m mixed relay. In other events there will be a medley relay, 4x100m and 4x400m for people with disabilities.

Lefika Athletics Club public relations officer, Kebonyemodisa Kootshabe said preparations for the event were going well, and that they were happy that Debswana would partner with them in sponsoring people with disabilities category.

He said Zimbabwe and Namibia have confirmed participation in the 4x100m, adding that for IAAF to recognise the results, at least three teams would have to compete hence Botswana would have to also assemble a team of 4x100m.

“However, please note that the relays are not national teams, but because Namibia and Zimbabwe are coming with their national teams, we have only made a provision in the 4x100m, but local clubs, institutions and schools will battle it out against each other,” he said.

Kootshabe said the main objective of hosting the relays was to give courtiers a suitable opportunity to qualify for the IAAF relays that would be held in Yokohama, Japan, from May 12-13.

He said the relays were meant to motivate them to build teams as that would also bolster the national team. Furthermore, Kootshabe said he was confident that the events would leave an indelible mark.

“Some of the clubs that have registered are Orapa, Jwaneng, Maun and BDF, and  that alone will tell you the nature of the competition,” he said. ENDS