Tagara told Standardsport that the nation was now pinning its hopes on Kenya-based athlete Sharon Tavengwa and the Chokore sisters, Chiedza and Lizzie.
“We are in a dilemma. We are now looking forward to the two Chokore sisters and Tavengwa to improve on their running time and qualify to represent the country at the forthcoming London Olympics,” said Tagara.
“As I speak, I have been running around to get the contacts of the three so that they can go and participate at two qualifying marathon races to be held in Botswana in April and May. If the three fail to make it at these two races, then it’s a disaster for us as a nation.”
The three are set to run in the Phakalane-Gaborone City Marathon or in the Botswana Phikwe National Marathon Championships, which are all Olympic qualifying races.
“They have to run in any one of the two forthcoming marathons while there is still time so that they will have more time to rest. They will need about three months to rest and start preparing for the Olympics if they qualify, which I hope they will.”
Tagara said the female marathon category has been problematic because most of the athletes that include queen of the road, Samukeliso Moyo, were shunning the marathon races for ultra-marathons.
“We have most of our athletes shunning marathon races for ultra-marathons which are longer so it is going to be a challenge for us to get the three to represent us at the London Olympics,” added Tagara.
Kenya-based Tavengwa and the Chokore sisters are supposed to beat a time of 2 hours 38 minutes in one of the races for them to qualify for the Olympics.
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Last week Chiedza pulled a five-star performance in South Africa as she beat other athletes in the Om Die Dam 50km Marathon held in South Africa.
Chokore earned her third title in 3 hours 35 minutes 6 seconds. She won the same race in 2009 and 2010 before coming second behind her sister Lizzie in 2011.
The three are set to join swimmer Kirsty Coventry, long jumper Ngonidzashe Makusha, rowers Micheen Thornycroft and Jamie Fraser-Mackenzie and marathon runner Cuthbert Nyasango who have already qualified for the 2012 Olympics.
