- The wait is over – Gaborone hosts the world!
The world’s fastest athletes have descended into Gaborone as Botswana hosts the Debswana World Athletics Relays, one of the most explosive sporting events the country has ever hosted.
More than 700 athletes from around 40 nations will take to the National Stadium on May 2nd and 3rd, chasing medals, prize money and crucial qualification spots for the World Athletics Championships Beijing 2027 and the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
As of yesterday (Thursday), Kabelo Kgakololo, Communications and PR for the Debswana World Relays organising committee said preparations were at an advanced stage, with the track ready to be tested and security measures in place as athletes from around the world continued arriving in the country.
At the heart of the weekend’s excitement is the star-studded athlete lineup, featuring Olympic champions, world champions and rising sprint sensations who promise high-speed drama in every race. Jamaica arrives with world 100m champion Oblique Seville, Olympic gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah and two-time world champion Shericka Jackson, a trio capable of electrifying the women’s and men’s sprint relays. Canada brings Olympic gold-winning relay power with Andre De Grasse, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Aaron Brown, while South Africa’s sprint ace Akani Simbine returns to lead a team that has consistently challenged for global honours. Team USA, historically dominant in relays, has also touched down with Ronnie Baker and Courtney Lindsey among the standout names.
Botswana’s athletes will be central to the spectacle, with the home crowd expected to create a charged atmosphere as the nation’s relay squads aim to make a statement. Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo headlines the men’s 4x100m pool, while world 400m champion Collen Kebinatshipi, Bayapo Ndori and Leungo Scotch form the backbone of a men’s 4x400m squad capable of challenging the world’s best. With the United States not fielding a team in the men’s 4x400m, Botswana enters the event among the leading contenders, raising hopes of a major home victory.
The women’s relay teams also carry significant national expectations. Loungo Matlhaku, Nancy Budzani and Kesego Nono Kgari spearhead the women’s 4x100m squad, bringing season-best times of 11.87, 11.90 and 11.97 respectively. Their blend of speed and emerging talent reflects Botswana’s growing strength in women’s sprinting and sets up a thrilling clash against the world’s sprint powerhouses.
Across the programme, several races stand out as must-watch battles. The women’s 4x400m has been thrown wide open by the absence of the USA, creating a rare opportunity for nations such as Jamaica, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland and Great Britain to seize global dominance. The mixed 4x100m, the newest discipline on the World Relays programme, is expected to deliver fast times and unpredictable results as 24 federations compete for qualification spots. The mixed 4x400m will see the United States return as favourites but face mounting pressure from Belgium, Spain, Poland and Great Britain.
Perhaps the most anticipated clash of the weekend will come in the men’s 4x400m, where Botswana, South Africa and Belgium renew a rivalry that has defined recent editions of the World Relays. With global qualification, prize money and national pride at stake, the race could become the defining moment of the event.
The weekend will also carry historic symbolism, with diamond-encrusted medals being awarded a first in athletics and a nod to Botswana’s diamond heritage. As Gaborone welcomes the world, the relays promise speed, spectacle and a rare opportunity for local fans to witness elite athletics at its very best.
Kgakololo shared that the event is expected to generate widespread excitement and economic benefits beyond the stadium, with hotels and lodges already filled by visiting teams and an anticipated boost to local tourism and the broader economy.
