09 Sep 2026

With global titles already secured and a historic season drawing to a close, six elite track stars head to Budapest, Hungary for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship scheduled for September 11-13.

When the starter’s gun echoes through the National Athletics Centre, the team will be anchored by Olympic 200m champion, Letsile Tebogo and World 400m champion, Collen Kebinatshipi, who both qualified automatically. 

Joining them through hard-earned season ranking points are Oratile Nowe in the women’s 800m, Lee Eppie and Bayapo Ndori  in the 400m as well as Kemorena Tisang in the 400m hurdles.

In an interview, Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) acting president, Oabona Theetso, said seeing the nation’s roster expand from two automatic qualifiers to a six-person delegation reflected significant structural progress and athlete dedication across the board.

“Having four additional athletes secure their places through points accumulation is a clear demonstration that they worked hard across the season to earn their spots,” Theetso said, adding that BAA was proud of how the athletes continued to place Botswana on the global sporting map.

Despite the high stakes at the multi-million-dollar season-closer, Theetso urged the athletes to focus on execution rather than expectations. 

With the athletes already proving their calibre across the Diamond League circuit, priority remains long-term health and personal fulfillment on the track.

“Yes, if they win trophies, we will celebrate, but there is absolutely no pressure. They have already made us proud. While we would be thrilled to bring home silverware, our main focus is for them to enjoy themselves, run their races and cross the finish line healthy,” Theetso said.

Meanwhile, the fast-paced, three-day championship will feature the world’s absolute best and offer the six-strong squad the ultimate proving ground to cap off a historic year on the track. ENDS