Yomi Omogbeja (27/05/2005)

The African athletics ruling body has announced the timetable for the planned Africa's Grand Prix series.

Africa Athletics Confederation (AAC) sources says plans are underway for the first Grand Prix-styled meeting scheduled for the Pilditch stadium in Tshwane (Pretoria) South Africa on April 27 next year.

The series will then move on to Dakar (Senegal) on May 3, Abuja (Nigeria) on May 9, Nairobi (Kenya) on May 13, and Rabat (Morocco) a month later.

The AAC last year declared year 2005 the 'Year of African Athletics Renaissance' and signed a major sponsorship and promotional agreement with the Grinaker Corporation to expedite Africa's athletics development.

The promoters also expect to hold a test match between USA and Africa on African soil in June next year, after an earlier one planned for March 15, 2005 in Abuja, Nigeria was cancelled.

Similar meeting between the same teams will be held in Tangiers, Morocco in 2007, Atlanta in 2008 and Paris in 2009.