The FNB Botswana Grand Prix returns with a strong international line-up, an accredited track, and a faster, time-based setup ahead of the World Relays. Organisers expect a sold-out crowd.
Athletics fans in Botswana are set for a full-day test of nerves, speed and organisation as the FNB Botswana Grand Prix prepares to take centre stage.
The one-day meet has attracted athletes from a broad mix of countries, including hosts Botswana, Algeria, Belgium, Cameroon, Canada, Congo, Ethiopia, Egypt, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Jamaica, Great Britain, Kenya, South Africa, the United States of America and Zimbabwe, among others.. Organisers say the event is built around one clear idea: deliver an international standard that can be measured.
Event organisers, through Golden Door Sports spokesperson Calistus Kolantsho, said everything is ready for the competition.. The venue is prepared, he said, and the track has been accredited by World Athletics, meaning times recorded at the meet will be recognised.. For athletes, that matters beyond bragging rights.. A recognised performance can shape selection conversations, rankings and preparation for bigger championships.
Athletes began arriving on Tuesday, with Canadian 200m Olympic champion Andre De Grasse among the headliners who touched down earlier.. Others, including Gabby Thomas and Ferdinand Omanyala, are expected to arrive on Saturday.. Kolantsho said organisers are also anticipating strong demand from spectators and believe tickets could sell out, adding a sense of pressure that goes beyond the track.
With that crowd potential comes a logistics message for motorists.. Kolantsho urged drivers to use Notwane parking, explaining that vehicles will not be allowed inside the stadium.. He said there is reserved parking at Notwane ground, supported by adequate security, while GSS ground will function as overflow.
The organiser’s pitch is not only about today’s meet but about restoring the event’s status after losing gold status last year due to delayed pitch renovations.. This year, they are aiming to reclaim that position while also tightening operational support through a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Local Organising Committee of the Debswana World Relays.
Under the agreement, the Debswana World Relays Local Organising Committee will assist with logistics such as transport and meals for officials and other personnel.. Kolantsho added that technical officials’ bills will also be covered, a detail that suggests more than paperwork.. Technical officials are the backbone of timing, measurement and event control, and any improvement in that layer typically reduces late surprises on competition day.
There is also a notable shift in how the day is staged.. For the first time, UB Stadium will be used as a warm-up area, replacing the Lekidi Centre.. Kolantsho said the change is tied to the meet being a precursor to the World Relays, with the entire schedule designed to be time-based.. He explained that the main event needs to be delivered within a two-hour window, which is why organisers held the road to the FNB Botswana Golden Prix two weeks earlier to gauge preparedness.
The programme begins in the morning at 9am, with the main event slated for 2:30pm. Kolantsho credited FNB sponsorship as pivotal, saying that since 2023, the bank has been the backbone of the event and without it, the meet would not be where it is now.
Local interest remains a key part of the line-up, with most Botswana athletes involved.. Still, some absences stand out: Letsile Tebogo, Busang Collen Kebinatship and Bayapo Ndori are notable names not making the trip for this edition.. Kolantsho said they cannot afford Letsile this year, and pointed to limited government assistance, adding that financial support usually helps cover that type of bill.