09 Apr 2019

The 4x400 metres men’s relay team will compete at the 125^th Penn Relays scheduled for April 25-27 in Pennsylvania, USA.

The team comprises of 400 metre specialists, Baboloki Thebe, Leaname Maotoanong and Onkabetse Nkobolo as well as 800 metre runners, Nijel Amos and Boitumelo Masilo.

However, the Penn Relays clash with the Gaborone International Meet (GIM) and organisers of the local competition are not happy that their star athletes will not participate.

Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) spokesperson, Ipolokeng Ramatshaba said they were aware of the clash, and that they would honour the Penn Relay’s invitation as they were bankrolled by their technical sponsor, Nike.

“Nike is our technical sponsor, so we have to nurture our relationship with them. We had a discussion with GIM organisers, Sports View Club, and we told them our position and the importance of attending the relays,” he said.

The association, he said, also valued GIM because it was their ‘baby,’ as they encouraged clubs to host competitions on behalf of the association.

He, however, said it was up to individual athletes to decide if they wanted to compete in the local races.

“Isaac Makwala made it clear that he wants to compete in the local meet hence is not travelling with the team,” he said.

Ramatshaba said initially the technical sponsor wanted two relay teams of 4x100 and 4x400 to take part, but that the association managed to convince Nike to settle for one so that the rest could compete at the GIM.

GIM chairperson, Glody Dube said he felt disappointed because BAA knew about the relays as they were in possession of the calendar of events for the year.

He said they approached sponsors using their elite athletes who had confirmed participation.

Dube also said he was disappointed that Batswana athletes were going to compete in a US competition similar to GIM.

“Honestly, I don’t believe that BAA can take athletes to the USA leaving their own GIM. For the past three years we have not been sending any team to these relays, why now?” he asked.  

The Penn Relays are the oldest and largest track and field competitions in the United States, and has been hosted annually since 1895 by the University of Pennsylvania at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. ENDS