Stanchart Boss Applauds Runners

By Boitumelo Khutsafalo
Correspondent | Monday March 12, 2007 00:00

They missed out on prize money after falling behind Kenya who came first and won $30,000, followed by Zimbabwe ($15,000) and Uganda ($5000). Speaking in Gaborone, Yeboah said that with the competition attracting more seasoned athletes every year, the 2006-2007 edition was a thriller. She added that the Botswana team did not let the country down despite competition from the likes of powerhouses like Kenya. She praised the Botswana athletes for demonstrating the qualities of determination, strength and courage which the Standard Bank as the sponsors of the race believes in. 'Standard Chartered Bank will continue to work in partnership with the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) to promote world class marathon runners. I am confident our runners will be winners of money one day. I specify money because they are already winners today,' she said.

The Greatest Race on Earth is composed of four individual marathons in four cities. The race started in Nairobi, Kenya on October 29 last year where Gabaseme put up a brave performance to finish fifth behind Ugandan, Kenyan, Zimbabwean and Tanzanian runners in the Africa category. He clocked 02:30:35 and improved on his personal record of 02:33:51 when he ran the Mumbai leg in the previous edition. Bashingili took the baton in Singapore and registered 02:23:37 to take the aggregate team performance one notch up to fourth position. He improved his time of 02:24:15 ran in the Hong Kong leg.

Ramoseka kept Botswana in fourth spot in Mumbai with a time of 02:28:15. He is remembered for his spectacular finish at the Hong Kong leg last year when he clocked 02:26:36. New entrant, Moswasi excelled in the difficult Hong Kong route which passes across the city, between skyscrapers, through bustling streets and a tunnel, over bridges on to a five kilometre climb to the finish line. His 02:26:01 secured Botswana's fourth position.

BAA president, Moses Bantsi hailed the athletes for their performance and the fact that they did better that rivals who compete in many races throughout the world. He thanked Standard Bank for its commitment in sponsoring the athletes. 'The first two races were supposed to be a partnership between Standard Chartered and BAA. We were to share expenses but ultimately, the bank understood the financial status of BAA and agreed to wholly sponsor the race and we agreed to be the co-sponsors with the bank taking a large share of 80 percent,' he revealed.