World Relays marks milestone as Gaborone brings global athletics celebration to Africa

History will be made in Botswana this weekend as the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 sees the global competition take place in Africa for the first time.

During the pre-event press conference on Friday (1), World Athletics President Sebastian Coe reinforced the significance of the competition and its journey.

“I love moments like this because, by background, I’m a historian, and I like to be part of historic moments,” said Coe. “The very fact that these relays are coming to Africa for the first time means a lot to me and I know it means a lot to the continent. This is a continent that has, over the last 50 years, delivered in such passion and such talent extraordinary athletes into our sport. The history of athletics in this continent is in large part the history of world athletics in the last half century.

“I’m delighted that this cements some really important assets. The first is the opportunity to use this event as a way of demonstrating that Africa has come of age – it is a continent where we genuinely want to share our championships; our big explosive moments. I also want this to be inspirational. I want it to be an inspiration for the young people sitting in that stadium that are, I hope, going to be following in the footsteps of the great athletes that we have here.”

Coe also highlighted the importance of the competition as the main qualification event for relays at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest in September and next year’s World Athletics Championships Beijing 27.

“There is a bit of jeopardy here,” he said. “The prize pot ups the ante. We have roughly 700 athletes from about 40 countries here, which is a great turnout.

“I can’t thank you enough – the athletes, the Botswana athletics federation and the LOC, our sponsors, the volunteers, and the media for being here this morning.”

Coe was joined on the stage by LOC Chair Martin Mokgwathi and Debswana Diamond Company Corporate Affairs Manager Keamogetse Sampson, who both shared their pride and delight in welcoming the world to Botswana for the World Relays.

“Fortunately for us, World Athletics permitted us to host this event, as the first African nation to do it,” said Mokgwathi. “We are very excited about it and thankful for the opportunity. We represent Botswana but we also represent the African continent, so we are trying to make this the best athletics event that we can.

“Enjoy Botswana and don’t just stay in the stadium – there are so many other sights to see.”

Speaking of the involvement of title sponsor Debswana, Sampson said: “Our tagline has always been: ‘mining diamonds to enrich the nation’. Our mission is to be a global benchmark. More than anything, we have a purpose – to make life brilliant. We do that by ensuring that the revenue from diamonds sponsors national progress.

“We hope that this will be a spectacular event – that you don’t only enjoy the event itself, but that you also have the opportunity to tour this diamond city and the diamond country.”

Inspiring the next generation was a key theme of the press conference and is an important aspect of the World Relays and its associated activities.

Home star Letsile Tebogo, Botswana’s Olympic 200m and world 4x400m champion, joined the press conference ahead of leading an activation with young athletes in his role as Kids’ Athletics ambassador.

“When we won that medal (world 4x400m gold in Tokyo) it opened a lot of doors for youngsters who want to pursue athletics as their dream,” he said.

The competition in Gaborone also offers opportunity to the country’s rising athletics stars, including Tebogo’s teammates in the 4x100m.

“The focus (for Tebogo in Gaborone) is the 4x100m and trying to introduce it into championships,” said Tebogo. “The main goal is to make it to the final. It’s a new team with youngsters who I really believe in.”

Tebogo sat alongside South Africa’s Olympic 4x100m silver medallist Akani Simbine, who is another athlete using his profile to develop the sport in his country.

A few days on from organising a Continental Tour Silver meeting – the Simbine Classic – in Pretoria, he said: “We had close to 1000 kids that were competing and they became the stars of the day. It’s all for the development of sports in the country and for bringing athletics to South Africa and the African continent.”

South Africa won the men’s 4x100m at the last edition of the World Relays and Simbine added: “Botswana is next door, so this counts as home. It is good to be able to come here and defend the title. For us, it feels like we are running at home.”

Italy’s Zaynab Dosso is also pleased that her nation’s performances are helping to shine a spotlight on the sport.

“In Italy there is a football obsession, but I am very happy that the focus is moving towards athletics,” she said. “We want to prove that Italian athletes are worthy of the front pages.”

Performances like her own world indoor 60m title win in Poland in March are getting the attention they deserve, and Dosso added that a large part of her development has been her mental approach.

“I was expecting way too much of myself in previous years,” she said. “This year I am going to work on my mental preparation.”

For five-time Olympic gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah, the competition is an important milestone as she continues her comeback after injury.

“Being here in Botswana to compete with the world, I’m excited and ready to have fun,” she said.

The event also offers Thompson-Herah’s Jamaican team the chance to secure qualification for next year’s World Championships, which could see Thompson-Herah return to Beijing 12 years on from winning her first global medals in China’s capital.

“It would be a good feeling going back to the Bird’s Nest,” she said. “I am looking forward to helping my team to qualify to go there. We’re going for it.”

Lieke Klaver has won multiple Olympic and world medals as part of the Dutch women’s and mixed 4x400m teams and she is also excited to help her nation to secure championship spots. Whether that is in the women’s 4x400m, the mixed 4x400m or even the 4x100m is yet to be decided.

“Everything is possible,” she smiled. “I am here if I am needed.” On her love for relay running, she added: “I run well when I am a bit tired, so when I do relays it makes me a bit tired, and I keep running better and better. I just love running with the girls or the mixed team.”

 – WORLD ATHLETICS