BAA cancels competition in Merafhe�s honour
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday January 16, 2015 11:50
BAA spokesperson, Ipolokeng Ramatshaba said they decided to call off the event because it coincided with the burial of Merafhe in Serowe tomorrow. The late former vice president was BAA patron. Meanwhile, the finals of the cross-country championships will be held in Gaborone on January 24 in the afternoon. Ramatshaba said the BAA technical committee has decided to change the venue from Letlhakeng.
“We are expecting a huge number of athletes from both north and southern part of the country. The races will be held in the afternoon as a way sticking to international practice. We are grooming our athletes for international competitions. We will be using the same track that was used during the semi-finals for the southern zone last weekend,” said Ramatshaba.
He said a team which will represent Botswana at the Southern Africa Regional Championships in Blantyre, Malawi next month would be selected after the marathon. He said a team of 10 runners - five women and men - will be selected for the competition originally meant for Seychelles. He explained that there is no qualifying time for the Southern Africa competition but the performance of the runners will play a big role in who makes the trip. “Most runners are unable to attain the qualifying time for international competitions because of various factors such as lack of commitment and training,” he said.
Ramatshaba explained that the selection of the team that will participate in the World Athletics Championships would be based on performance in the regional competition. He said they would also consider the performance of the runners during the cross-country series and other competitions. Ramatshaba reminded athletes to improve their times if they are to progress on the international stage. He stated that timing is important and should not be taken for granted. “We cannot have someone winning a race but failing to clock the needed time. We will continue to advise our athletes to improve their times,” said Ramatshaba.