A hectic season is on the cards for sprint sensation Letsile Tebogo and other local athletes. World Athletics has announced a busy calendar for the 2024 Continental Tour meetings.
The first Gold level meeting of the season is set for Australia in February. More than 190 meetings are included in next year’s tour, which is divided into four levels Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Challenger. The status of each meeting is determined by the quality of competition and prize money on offer.
The tour’s top tier comprises 12 events spread across five of the six continental areas. The full calendar currently includes 27 Silver, 62 Bronze and 89 Challenger meetings that would also be added to as the season progresses.
After Melbourne, the next Gold level meeting takes place in Gaborone on April 14, before stopping in Nairobi, Kenya on April 20, Los Angeles in the USA on May 18 before heading to Tokyo in Japan on May 19, and lastly Ostrava in Czechia on May 28.
Athletics coach, Kebonyemodisa Dose Mosimanyane told Mmegi Online that they are in for a hectic season, which needs proper planning and a smart approach.
“We are not going to compete in all the events. We will prioritise Botswana Golden Grand Prix and maybe Kip Keino Classic in Kenya,” he said. Asked about the training progress thus far, Mosimanyane explained that it is going well.
As athletes continue their preparations for the Olympic Games in Paris (France) next year August, the Gold tour will continue in New York (USA) on June 9, then Turku in Finland on June 18, followed by Bydgoszcz in Poland on June 21, Hengelo in the Netherlands on July 7, and finally Szekesfehervar in Hungary on July 9.
Following the Olympics, Zagreb in Croatia will welcome athletes for the final Continental Tour Gold meeting of the season on September 8.
Gold level meetings schedule: February 15 – Maurie Plant Meet, Melbourne April 14 – Botswana Golden Grand Prix, Gaborone April 20 – Kip Keino Classic, Nairobi May 18 – USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix, Los Angeles May 19 – Seiko Golden Grand Prix, Tokyo May 28 – Ostrava Golden Spike, Ostrava June 9 – USATF New York City Grand Prix, New York June 18 – Paavo Nurmi Games, Turku June 21 – Irena Szewinska Memorial, Bydgoszcz July 7 – FBK Games, Hengelo July 9 – Gyulai István Memorial, Szekesfehervar September 8 – Memorial Borisa Hanzekovica, Zagreb
