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Commonwealth Games disrupt local calendar
09 February, 2006
GABORONE - The Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) has been forced to adjust its calendar of events to prepare for next months Commonwealth Games billed for Melbourne, Australia.
BAA technical officer Bobby Gaseitsiwe told BOPA that because of the games they decided to start their calendar events earlier.
They will host the national track and field competitions, which will attract athletes from all parts of the country at the UB stadium on Saturday.
We have decided to hold this years track and field on February 12 unlike in other years. Normally the competition is held at the end of March.
This is to enable our Commonwealth athletes to shape up for the games. It is necessary for athletes to take part in several competitions so that they keep fit till competition time, he said.
Gaseitsiwe said they would use the track and field competition as a yardstick to select the athletes to represent Botswana at the World Junior Championships slated for Beijing, China, in August.
The competition would also be used to select the team that will compete at the African Senior Championships slated for Mauritius in August.
Another competition at Molepolole Sports Complex on February 19 will be part of preparations for the Commonwealth Games team.
Meanwhile, marathoner Raobine Ramoseke left the country on Monday for Hong Kong to take part in the Standard Chartered Bank greatest race on earth this weekend.
The national 400m champion California Molefe left the country for the IAAF Grand prix in Europe. His first competition will be on Saturday.
Molefe is also expected to run in the World Indoor competitions in Moscow on March 7. He is expected to join the Commonwealth squad in Melbourne from Moscow. BOPA