Strong team for Africa Senior Champs
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday June 4, 2022 06:00
The national team went into camp yesterday as they prepare for the upcoming 2022 CAA Africa Senior Championships slated for Mauritius this month. The 2020 championships were to be held in Algeria but were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Botswana will join the rest of the continent for the athletics showpiece to be held from June 8-12 at the Côte d’Or National Sports Complex. Mauritius has previously hosted two editions of the African Championships in 1992 and 2006.
The men's squad is led by some of the country's fastest athletes, including Letsile Tebogo who recently ran 9.96 in the 100m, which was initially deemed to be an Under-20 world record, before it was nullified this week. Anthony Pesela (400m) and the upcoming talented Collen Kebinatshipi (400m) are also part of the team. Tokyo 2020 Olympics 4x400m men’s relay team bronze medallists, Bayapo Ndori and Zibane Ngozi have qualified for the championships. Olympic Games semi-finalist, Leungo Scotch is in the team and will run the 400m. The women’s team has, among others, Tsaone Sebele and Loungo Matlhaku who will both represent the country in the 100m and 200m races. Olympian, Christine Botlogetswe will run her favourite one lap. She has a personal best (PB) of 50.48 and a season’s best (SB) of 53.66. Lydia Jele made a strong comeback after four years of absence by qualifying for the championships.
She has a PB of 53.49, which won her a ticket to the championships. Botswana will also compete in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. Other athletes to look out for are Motlatsi Rante, Obakeng Kamberuka, Calvin Omphile, Jayson Mandoze, Tshepiso Masalela and Boitshepiso Kelapile. For the first time in the history of local athletics, Botswana will field three hurdlers at the Africa Senior Championships. Victor Ntweng (400H), Maitseo Keitumetse (400H and Kemorena Tisang (110H) have qualified for the continental showpiece. Three long jumpers, Thalosang Tshireletso, Thapelo Monaiwa, and Norman Chibane, will wear the national colours. Thuto Mothomane and Tshwanelo Aabobe will take part in the high jump. Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) vice president-administration, Oabona Theetso said the cost for the championships is shared among BAA, Botswana National Sport Commission, and Botswana National Olympic Committee.
The participation budget for Team Botswana is set at P800,000. The funds will be used to cover costs for camp, travel, and accommodation. “The team went into camp yesterday in Gaborone and everything is in place. We are looking into doing much better than we did in 2018 in Asaba, Nigeria,” he said. For now, 48 out of 55 African countries have confirmed their attendance for the 2022 African senior championships in June. There are 45 events on the programme: 22 for men and 22 for women and one mixed event, including a 10km trail race for both men and women. The events for men include hurdles, decathlon, high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, shot put, hammer, and javelin, while for women there are hurdles, heptathlon, high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus, hammer, and javelin.