Bowling activities suspended
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday September 11, 2021 06:00
The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to the cancellation of international bowling championships for the rest of the year.
Director of bowls, Marea Modutlwa told Mmegi Sport that the only activities that will go ahead are for the national team and selected open tournaments. She said the World Bowls have announced that the 2021 World Junior Under-25 Championships that were to be hosted by Northern Ireland in December have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Both the World Junior Championships and the African States Tournament (AST) were to afford the national team players exposure to high-level international competitions, as we campaign for our team to be included in the Botswana team for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and to prepare for the 2023 World Bowls Championships,” she said.
Botswana has qualified for the World Championships after a stellar performance at the 2019 Atlantic Championships in Cardiff, Wales. She said the world event would now be held three years after the original plan due to COVID-19. She said they have an ambitious plan of seeing the national team challenging for medals at the Commonwealth and World Championships. Modutlwa said preparations started in April, where activities were restricted to weekly assessments and solo practice.“The players challenged each other so that they maintain and improve their bowling skills. The men’s squad includes three of the players who beat South Africa to four gold medals at the 2017 AST in Johannesburg. The women’s team includes five women who won three medals at the 2019 AST in Nairobi,” she said.
Lesego Motladiile (23) makes her senior national team debut. She tasted the international stage at the 2017 World Youth Championships in Australia.
The teamWomen: Molatedi Douma (Francistown), Tibone Fox (Gaborone), Modutlwa (Gaborone), Juliet Mokoko (Jwaneng), Doreen Moleleki (Orapa), Boikhutso Mooketsi (Jwaneng) and Motladiile (Gaborone).
Men: Charles Diteko (Jwaneng), Kabo Gaboutloeloe (Gaborone), Kaizer Geche (Orapa), Remmy Kebapetse (Jwaneng), Khumo Kebalatetse (Phikwe), Joseph Nthobelang (Jwaneng), Edwin Nyoka (Orapa) and Regent Reid (Jwaneng).