24 Jul 2024

 Botswana has submitted a bid to host the 2026 World Athletics Relays. 

Addressing a press conference in Gaborone on Tuesday, the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) president, Moses Bantsi, said they met the July 10 deadline.

“Hopefully with the backing of other stakeholders, including government, we will be able to host successful relays come 2026, he said. 

Furthermore, he said although they had also submitted a bid to host the 2026 Africa Senior Champions, which was won by Ghana, all was not lost as Botswana was given the right to host the 2028 edition. 

Bantsi also said they did not host the Botswana Golden Grand Prix this year adding that they were hopeful that the race would be back next year. 

On other issues, Bantsi said the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) had entered 14 athletes of which, 12 were from BAA for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

He also said there was a need to prepare athletes early for major competitions such as the Olympic Games. 

“As the BAA, we are saying the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are as good as being gone and what’s next? is what has compelled the BAA to call this briefing to share and appeal to all; be corporates, organisations or individual entities, to be part of the next stages,” he said. 

He said preparations should start now for some of the major sporting events, which were in the pipeline such as the 2028 and 2032 Olympic Games.  

He said Botswana had set a target of five gold medals during the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

He said that could only be achieved if they started preparations as early as now. 

“It is with this in mind that the BAA calls for support from all corners for its junior team, which will be going to compete at the World Athletics U20 Championships scheduled from August 27-31 2024 in Lima, Peru,” he said.

 The talent that Botswana had in sports, he said could elevate the country to higher status. ENDS