- Letsile Tebogo and Sha’Carri Richardson were in the 2023 edition
- 2024 event was called off due to dispute between govt and founder Glody Dube
TLOTLO KEBINAKGABO
After a year’s hiatus, the Botswana Golden Grand Prix is set to make its much-anticipated return on 12 April 2025, prompting organisers to work hard behind the scenes to secure top-tier athletes for the event.
The last edition, held in 2023, drew an elite field, including Botswana’s own Letsile Tebogo who has since become the Olympic 200m champion, and Sha’Carri Richardson who went on to claim gold in the 100m race at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest with a championship-record time of 10.65s.
Meet spokesperson Callistus Kolantsho has confirmed that preparations are already in full swing. “Work has already started behind the scenes,” he said in an interview. “Invitations to world-class athletes are being sent out through Athletes Liaison Officer, Robert Wagner.”
Resolved
The 2025 meet will feature a wide range of events for both men and women. The men’s competition will include the 100m, 200m, 400m and the 800m races, as well 400m hurdles, long jump, shot put and the 4x100m relay. Women will compete in the 100m, 400m and the 800m races, as well as the 400m hurdles, long jump and shot put.
Kolantsho dismissed lingering concerns over the circumstances that led to last year’s cancellation, saying the issues have now been resolved.
“I don’t want to talk much about what happened,” he said. “It was a situation beyond our control. We are just glad the event is back and are racing against the clock to deliver the best edition yet.”
Potential sponsors
The 2024 event was called off due to a dispute between the meet’s founder former Olympian Glody Dube and the Botswana Government. With that now out of the way, organisers are shifting their focus to securing sponsorships.
“We are in talks with potential sponsors, especially a title sponsor,” Kolantsho said. “FNB’s sponsorship was just for one edition, but it would be great to have them on board again.”
As the countdown begins, Botswana is eager to once again host some of the world’s top track and field athletes in what promises to be a thrilling return of the Golden Grand Prix.