NEXT STOP AFRICA CHAMPS
.... as local athletes get another chance to qualify for Tokyo Olympics
Following the World Athletics Relays where only the 4X400m relay men’s team secured qualification to the Olympics, Botswana Athletics Association(BAA) has set its sights on seeing the mixed,100m and ladies 4x400m relay teams qualify for the global showpiece at the upcoming Africa Senior Championships which are scheduled for Oran, Algeria from June 1st.
While there has been much consistency from the men’s side, more especially at the world level, it seems like the ladies side is losing too much of its power. Despite having the same appearances at the World relays like their male counterparts, the ladies side has never made it to the podium at the relays.
While in 2017 they made it to the finals in BAHAMAS and finished sixth, this time around the team couldn’t even reach the finals.
With relays now done, the ladies team qualification hopes lie with the rankings where they have to make a breakthrough into the top16. With qualification ending on the 29th of June, Botswana ladies have a mammoth task to move from their current 21st rank into the lucrative top 16. Following their outing in Poland, expectation is that there will be a shakeup in the rankings this week when the World Athletics releases the new rankings.
In an interview with The Midweek Sun, BAA mouthpiece, Oabona Theetso said all the relay teams which did not qualify are still a priority and the association will do everything to assist them to qualify. “All those who failed to qualify will try their luck at Africa Champs including those who didn’t go to Poland.
We also have the national championships where athletes can still qualify, then if the budget allows they will go outside the country to attend some meets,” he said.