IAAF World championships preparations get underway
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday December 23, 2016 11:44
Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) is in the process of drawing up a training plan for the qualifiers.
BAA spokesperson, Roland Masalila told Mmegi Sport yesterday that they have programmes that are meant to give the athletes an opportunity to qualify for the championships. He said Nijel Amos will be relocating to the United States of America under the Nike sponsorship.
“Karabo Sibanda and Baboloki Thebe are also sponsored by Nike and we are yet to decide where they will be training.
The intention is to engage them and their coach when we open in January and agree where they should go for training. We also have some programmes for other athletes such as Lydia Jele, Isaac Makwala and Christina Botlogetswe,” he said.
Masalila said athletics code always surpasses the previous years as it was the case with Sibanda and Thebe who qualified for Rio 2016 Olympics. He said there might be some other athletes who might come up next year.
Masalila said the other issue that they are yet to resolve is in regards to the partnership between Thebe, Sibanda and their coach, Mogomotsi Otsetswe.
He said the trio have a bond and they cannot be separated, which means whatever decision is taken about their training programme, the coach has to be involved.
“That is the same thing with Otsetswe. He informed the agents who were interested in his services that wherever he goes, he does with Thebe and Sibanda. They are a team,” Masalila said.