Well done Letsile Tebogo!

The Monitor Editor | Wednesday May 4, 2022 06:00

Tebogo is not the first star athlete to emerge, but unfortunately, only a few go all the way and make a living out of their fast feet. As we celebrate Tebogo’s victory, let us look at the likes of Glody Dube, Gable Garenamotse, Amantle Montsho, Isaac Makwala, Nijel Amos, Baboloki Thebe, and others.

They all have different stories. They have done well for the nation and made the people realise that Botswana can do better.

We call on authorities to give special attention to this talent and many others and nurture them to be the best they can be. Tebogo is showing the whole world that anything is possible and it will take proper grooming for him to deliver Botswana a gold medal.

Besides Tebogo, there are many other young Batswana, some out of school, who need help to actively take part in sport. We thank government for incentives such as houses and improved cash rewards for excellence. However, there should also be even more investment into grassroots development and nurturing of sporting talent. That way there will be no need for giving them houses after the fact, as they would be able to buy their own.

The government should employ full-time sports personnel at schools while also giving incentives to teachers who invest their time in coaching. These should ensure that talent is identified and developed from a young age. Even those who drop out of school should be able to get support to become wealthy sports stars.

We further call on the private sector to stand up and sponsor Tebogo, athletics and indeed sports in general. Partnering with these emerging stars could be beneficial to raising superstars and in turn generate income for brands.

Parents and members of the community at large, please play your part and help develop talent around us. We should be able to support children and neighbours’ aspirations with the little we have and history will remember us well for it. Attending sporting events and buying merchandise will go a long way in supporting them to get better.