Home News Sports 4X4m Olympic Team Dream Shattered

4X4m Olympic Team Dream Shattered

THABISO MARETLWANENG The International Olympic Committee this Friday is expected to officially announce a new list of the world top 16 relay teams that have qualified for the Beijing Olympics. The new list does not include the Botswana 4x400m team which has dropped to the 18th position in the qualifying standards recently. The  Botswana 4x400m men’s team had secured the top 16 sport last year but  South Africa, Italy and Japan pushed the Botswana team down in their last ditch efforts to claim Olympic spots. The relay team comprises of California Molefe, Isaac Makwala, Obakeng Ngwigwa, Gakologelwang Masheto, Fanuel Kenosi and Zachariah Kanberuka. In an effort to try and qualify at the last minute the Botswana team has participated in Morocco, Malaysia, and India over the last few weeks but in vain. The top 16 teams to be announced this week are  USA(2.57.37), Bahamas(2.59.78, Jamaica(3.00.60), Poland(300.85), Russia(3.02.34), Britain(3.01.57), German(3.01.99), Australia(3.02.03), Belgium(3.02.32), Dominic republic(3.02.48), Japan(3.02.60), Cuba(3.02.66), France(3.02.99), Trinidad(3.03.26), Greece(3.03.93), South Africa(3.04.12). According to Botswana Athletics Association(BAA)  Public Relations Officer Glody  Dube, the  2007 Algeria All Africa Games Gold medalist 4x400m relay team has been pull out to compete at the upcoming Olympics Games to be held in Beijing, China next month. Confirming with  Gazette Sport Dube explained that the according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ,only top 16 countries are allowed to participate at the Olympics and unfortunately Botswana lost its position in the top 16,”clarified Dube. Recently the team just lost out in a race that was held in Morocco this weekend as they clocked 3:11 seconds time. He said that the Morocco Athletics race competition was the last chance for the Botswana team to redeem and claim their spot back in the top 16 but they failed to impress as they finished last .The closing date for the top 16 finalist of  relay teams that  seek to  compete at the Olympics is on the 23rd of July. Dube also lamented other setbacks that could have affected the team to lose out their top 16 spot.

 

< Prev		Next >