FNBB Golden Grand Prix ranked fourth globally

Botswana’s athletics profile continues its swift ascent with the FNBB Golden Grand Prix now ranked fourth worldwide among World Athletics Continental Tour meetings. The latest accolade follows a successful edition of the meet held on April 26 at Gaborone’s National Stadium. The event earned an impressive 83,990 points in the recent World Athletics rankings, placing it among the top-tier continental tour competitions globally.

This evaluation came after World Athletics reviewed nearly 468 meets across various regions. Glody Dube, founder of Golden Sports Agency, described the achievement as a significant milestone for Botswana’s athletics community and proof of the country’s capability to stage world-class events. “Currently we are ranked number two in Africa after the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, Kenya.

It is all thanks to how we organised the recent FNBB Golden Grand Prix which was held a week before the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 2026,” Dube said. He revealed that officials from World Athletics were highly impressed by the overall event management, the athlete experience, and the organizational standards demonstrated during the competition. Though officially classified as a Silver category meet, World Athletics representatives noted that the organization and execution reached Gold level standards.

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“The feedback we received from World Athletics was very positive. They were happy with how we organised and handled the event. Even though it was a Silver status competition, they felt the standard of delivery was equivalent to a Gold level event,” Dube explained.

Looking ahead, Dube noted that World Athletics has expressed an intention to restore his personal Gold status recognition as a meet organizer, a move that would further elevate Botswana’s standing on the international athletics stage. “World Athletics would like to grant us the Gold status back, but there are still a few issues we need to ratify with our partners before that process can be completed,” he added. One key requirement involves government guarantees tied to hosting Gold status events.

World Athletics demands assurances that if private organizers fail to secure sufficient funding or prize money, the government will intervene to ensure the event proceeds smoothly. “World Athletics wants letters of guarantee because they need assurance that if organisers fail to secure enough funding, the government will support the event and ensure it is staged successfully,” Dube said.

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