The Botswana Golden Grand Prix is one of the most anticipated events on the athletics calendar as a major track and field event in southern Africa, especially now that it is officially on the World Athletics calendar
GAZETTE REPORTER
The highly-anticipated Botswana Golden Grand Prix, formerly known as Gaborone International Meet (GIM), has received the official continental tour gold status from the athletics world governing body, World Athletics.
The event’s gold status mantle was delivered to the local organizing committee (LOC) by the World Athletics representative, Robert Wagner, in Gaborone on Tuesday this week.
This comes after the event was hosted under the bronze status in Botswana for the past four years with the organizers led by former 8oom track runner, Glody Dube, striving to impress World Athletics for an upgrade and recognition.
For the next three years
The revamped event will be held in Botswana for the next three years (2023 to 2025) beginning on 29 April 2023 at the National Stadium in Gaborone.
The Botswana Golden Grand Prix is one of the only two World Athletics Continental Tour’s Gold Track and Field Competitions hosted in Africa annually and the only one in southern Africa holding gold status.
Speaking at the press briefing held at Avani recently, Wagner said the decision to grant Botswana gold status was inspired by the country’s success in athletics in recent events.
“We want to be here and be a part of this,” he said. “We are very happy and honoured to have Botswana as the 13th member of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Status.
“I am happy that we all know the magnitude of this event just from its bronze status to now gold. It will start next year followed by the Doha Diamond League. This means that there is a lot of trust within Botswana Athletics Association (BAA).
Great athletes
“We have never seen so much support from the government towards the development of athletics and we are thrilled with what we have already witnessed in Botswana. Africa is a big continent that produces great athletes, hence our support for Botswana.”
For his part, the Chairman of LOC, Geoffrey Gare, said they are going to work hard to deliver the world-class event.
“As we grow as a brand, it is important that we look at other sponsors to come on board to intensify the preparations,” he said. “As the president of the country has been talking about the Reset Agenda, this is exactly what we are now living out and we say let us do better today than yesterday.
“We are sure that hosting this event will bring so many positives and every sector shall benefit with key athletes coming to our country. We continue to grow because of the commitment of the Golden Door Agency to the development of athletics in Botswana.”
The Botswana Golden Grand Prix is one of the most anticipated events on the athletics calendar as a major track and field event in southern Africa, especially now that it is officially on the World Athletics calendar.