The P1m battle begins in Tokyo
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday September 12, 2025 10:31
The competition runs until September 21. According to the governing body, World Athletics, the prize pool for this year's championship is $8.498 million (approx. P110 million), with winners pocketing $70,000 (nearly P1 million). Silver medallists will receive $35,000 (around P470,000) and $22,000 (nearly P300,000) for bronze. The showdown will serve as a buildup to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, whilst relay teams will qualify for the 2026 World Relays to be held in Gaborone. Botswana is pinning hopes on the usual suspect, Letsile Tebogo, who won two medals at the 2023 Budapest edition. Tebogo's first medals at the World Championships were a silver in the 100m and a bronze in the 200m.
The relay gold medal winners will be rewarded with $80,000 (approx. P1.1 million). The men's 4x400m Botswana relay team has revenge on its mind after Budapest, where they finished in position four behind Great Britain (bronze), France (silver), and the champions, the United States of America. Athletes who break world records at the World Athletics Championships are in line to win $100,000 (P1.35 million), after Japanese electronics giant TDK extended its long-running support to the event. The Botswana team's head coach, Chilume Ntshwarang, said the athletes had a successful training camp in Seoul, South Korea, and arrived in Tokyo this week ahead of the competition. “We have been through our training sessions in Tokyo. The team is where we want it to be, picking at the right time. We are ready for the championships,” he said. The Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) has sent a delegation to Tokyo, comprising Oabona Theetso (acting president), Raymond Phale (vice president), Mabua Mabua (chief executive officer), and Pinkie Wilson, who was appointed observer for the 55th World Athletics Congress from Africa by World Athletics. According to the BAA statement, the delegation will also attend the World Athletics Championships.
Furthermore, BAA has announced that Wilson’s contract has come to an end. Wilson has been with the association since 2019 as its general manager. Amogelang Masalela has been appointed as acting sports administration officer following the resignation of Donald Steady in August. Meanwhile, the qualifying system for the World Relays in Gaborone has been published, and there are some changes. A key change is that the number of teams qualifying has been reduced from 32 to 24. The deadline for qualification is April 6, 2026. Asked about the decision taken by the World Athletics Council to reduce the teams, Theetso told MmegiSport that the council has the power to make decisions without consultation. “I will have to wait for their report first before I can make any comment,” Theetso said.