Amos, Rotich headline Gaborone meet
Sport
The clash between the 2012 Olympic silver medalist, Nigel Amos and Ferguson Rotich of Kenya in the men’s 800m is expected to be the main highlight of the Gaborone International Meet (GIM).
According to the Local organizing Committee (LOC) of the GIM the event will aid local athletes a chance to qualifier the upcoming Commonwealth games and also World Athletics Championships. In addition, the LOC says the meet will attract over 200 athletes, 70 technical officials and 50 volunteers.
“GIM” as it is popularly known; was founded by Glody Dube and it has since been awarded the Bronze Certification by World Athletics and the admission into the World Athletics calendar came through an application which was made by Botswana Athletics Association (BAA). The meet is ranked amongst top 5 competitions in Africa.
In an interview with this publication, GIM LOC Head of publicity, Calistus Kolantsho said the preparations towards Botswana’s flagship international athletics competition which is expected to take place on the 30th April at the National stadium is progressing smoothly. However, he appealed companies to come on board and support the event.
“The Gaborone International Meet is a world athletics qualifiers, we have been graded as world continentals tour meet hence this year we will be having this event under the bronze category,” Kolantsho mentioned. “The stakes are high hence as the LOC we needed to ensure that all logistics are in place since we have extended the invitations to athletes across the world.”
Kolantsho further said the participation of international athletes will present an opportunity for the local lads to register good times in order for them to stand a chance to qualify for the Commonwealth games, World Youth Championships and also World Athletics championships which are billed later this year.
“The interest is high especially locally as we have a large pull of athletes who have expressed desire to participate in the event, unfortunately we have turned down some of them because there was limited space,” he noted. Furthermore, Kolantsho revealed that the clash between the 2012 Olympic silver medalist, Nigel Amos and Ferguson Rotich of Kenya in the men’s 800m will be the main highlight of the meet.
He explained that the two athletes have a huge rivalry which we have witness at Tokyo 2020 summer Olympics, hence Amos would want to revenge using his home ground advantage. Kolantsho also mentioned that the meet presents an opportunity for Isaac Makwala to bid his fans farewell as the race will be his last on home soil before he retires from athletics.
Meanwhile the meet will open doors to international athletes from Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Germany, Syria, Portugal, Kenya, Nigeria, Bahrain, Holland, Niger and Cameron.
The LOC this week revealed that the event will be headlined by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics medalists Christine Mboma of Namibia, finalists Beatrice Masilingi also from Namibia and 800m silver medalist Ferguson Rotich of Kenya. While our very own athletes Makwala and Amos will also be amongst the face of the meet.
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Orange injects P350 000 into Phikwe marathon
Mobile network Orange Botswana is committed to supporting the development of local sport. Through its sponsorship, the company will be able to promote and market the sport. According to Maano Masisi, the company believes that sport can unite people from different backgrounds.
He stated that through the sponsorship of the marathon, the company will help promote healthy lifestyles and unity among the people of Selebi Phikwe.
The Selebi Phikwe Marathon is scheduled to take place on July 29, 2023. It is expected that it will attract international, regional, and social runners. A total of P216 000 has been allocated for the prize money for the first ten places in the 42.2 km race. For the 15km and 10km races, the LOC will give away prizes to the first five places.
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Sport
AFRICA’S RECOVERY: Sports as game changer
The year 2022 witnessed unprecedented phenomena. Several Africans- Gotytom Gebreslase, Sharon Lokedi, Victor Kiplangat, Tamarit Tola and many others- swept the World’s marathons records.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting control measures implemented in several countries, led to many high-level sports competitions being cancelled or shelved, the Dakar 2022 Youth Olympic Games was moved to 2026.
Founder and Executive Chairman, African Sports and Creative Institute, Will Mabiakop, says the inability to hold traditional and amateur sports events have had a serious effect on public health overall, including mental health, sparking a revolution whereby athletes began to talk more openly about stress, mental overload and performance anxiety.
“Africa is home to the fastest growing economies before the crisis, no longer on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). COVID-19 deepened interdependence between SDGs, making them harder to achieve, especially SDG 10 (reducing inequality) and SDG 5 (gender equality_ as the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on poorer countries, and heavier burdens (such as care work) fell to women.”
Mabiakop stresses that as policymakers contemplate actions to speed up recovery and build resilience, they must argue that sports and creative businesses should play a central feature in this effort.
“The sports economy worldwide is estimated at 5% of GDP, but only 0.5% in Africa. If exploited, Africa’s sports and creative industries can offer policymakers innovative solutions. Especially, as regards job creation, and providing employment to the 15 million people entering the job market annually.”
HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY DO THIS?
By leveraging the two-for-one concept: past studies shown that a 1% growth in the economy delivers a 2% job increment in this sector (these ratios are calculated using data from 48 African countries and adjusted to the reality of the sports economy in Africa by the authors). There are between 30 and 50 job types, in sports and creative industries, respectively. These jobs do not fade away with the first major shock.
Mabiakop indicated that policymakers can use these industries to tackle multiple crises- jobs, poverty, and climate risks. Sports diplomacy- defined as communication, representation and negotiation in or through the prism of sports- has proven effective in building inclusive and cohesive societies. Moreover, sports and the creative industry can support better mental health and well-being, both important for productivity.
“Policymakers can also be true to the game by leveraging culture and tradition to celebrate identity and reap commercial value in sports, textiles and jewelry. Creative sectors allow deeper connection with culture, are not easily copied and provide great economic potential.”
He said supporting grassroots sports has powerful distributional effects. “Fortunately, technology has made reaching wide audiences easier, generating higher rates of success when talent is discovered.”
However, Mabiakop held that potential pitfalls must be highlighted. “First avoid build it and they will come policies with infrastructures denuded from the rest of the ecosystem. Like the many sports stadiums left largely unused.”
“Policymakers must remain mindful of how these sectors move the needle in human capital development. Also, align the requisite public policies needed for progress from grassroots participation to professional sports, and even to international sporting events. They should also support investment instruments to render these sectors performant.”