- It is Doula, Cameroon as another means for more BAA athletes for Paris ’24 and Lima ’24
GAZETTE REPORTER
The Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) is intensifying efforts to secure more qualifications for the Paris 2024 Olympics at the 23rd CAA Africa Senior Championships that are scheduled for Douala, Cameroon from 21 to 26 June 2024.
With the Olympic qualification deadline of 30 June looming, BAA Vice President Administration Oabona Theetso has expressed optimism about the team’s prospects.
He shared insights into the team’s preparation, which included participation in races in Botswana and South Africa, in a telephone interview.
Significant setback
However, Theetso acknowledged a significant setback: the team did not go into camp due to financial constraints.
“We wanted the team to camp for bonding with one another and with the management,” he said. “But funds remained a problem. We only trust that coaches were able to train them at their respective clubs.”
For Cameroon, BAA has assembled a robust team of 32 athletes comprising 12 women and 20 men. The team left for Douala on Tuesday this week.
Their dual objective is to qualify more athletes for the Paris 2024 Olympics and the Lima 2024 World Junior Athletics Championships for U-19 athletes in Peru from August 27 to 31, 2024.
Ready for Paris
Several athletes have already secured their spots for the Paris Olympics. Among them are Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, Leungo Scotch, Kethobogile Haingura, Tshepiso Masalela, and Collen Kebinatshipi. The men’s 4x400m relay team has also qualified.
The women’s team heading to Cameroon includes Tsaone Sebele, Refilwe Murangi, Lebisto Mokorufu, Sethunya Majama, and Tshephang Majama, who will compete in the short sprints and the 4x100m relay.
Golekanye Chikani and Christine Botlogetswe have been selected for the 4x400m relay while Lydia Jele and Obakeng Kamberuka will participate in both the 400m, the 4x400m, and the mixed 4x400m relay.
Galefele Moroko will join them in the 400m and the 4x400m events. The women’s lineup is completed by Oratile Nowe for the 800m and Tshegofatso Bojosi for the long jump.
Botswana’s standout athlete
On the men’s side, standout athlete Tebogo will compete in the 100m, the 200m, and the 4x100m events alongside Stephen Abosi and Thuto Masasa who will both race in the 100m and the 4x100m.
Tumo van Wyk will take on the 200m and the 4x100m while Kevin Lobatlamang is set for the 200m. Mothusi Boitshwarelo and Jayson Mandoze are also part of the 4x100m team.
In the 400m and the 4x400m, Botswana will be represented by Lee Eppie, Boitumelo Masilo, and Anthony Pesela. Kebinatshipi, Ndori and Scotch will compete in the 4x400m and the mixed 4x400m relay.
Long jump and high jump
Victor Ntweng will tackle the 400m hurdles while Kemonna Tisang and Frecky Tshotlego will compete in the 400m hurdles and the 100m hurdles. Tumo Nkape and Haingura will run the 800m while Thapelo Monaiwa and Tshwanelo Aabobe will participate in the long jump and the high jump.
The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, is an upcoming international multi-sport event set to take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024 in France.
Paris will serve as the main host city, with events spread across 16 other cities in metropolitan France and one sub-site in Tahiti, French Polynesia.
New milestones
Theetso is hopeful that despite the lack of a preparatory camp, the athletes’ individual training will pay off. “Our target is to have more athletes qualify for both the Olympics and the World Junior Championships,” he stated.
As the competition in Cameroon begins, BAA and its athletes are poised to achieve new milestones on the road to Paris and Lima.