Sports

India-based Jack bags first title

Winner: Jack won his first title in India
 
Winner: Jack won his first title in India

Over Easter, Jack was crowned champion at The Delhi Technology University annual sports fest known as the AAHVAAN23. The youngster is one of the first beneficiaries of the India High Commission and the Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) scholarship programme.

Jack has been in India for two years and is slowly climbing the ladder in the ping-pong enthusiastic nation. The AAVAHAAN sports is an annual event organised by The Delhi Technology University and brings together players from the institution to take part in various sporting activities. Jack is a B. Tech student at the university and was untouchable on the table to bag his first title in India since 2021.

The youngster will now compete in the inter-university championship where he will seek his first major title in India. The 21-year-old recently represented Diteemane at the 2023 World Contenders Series tournament in a quest to book a berth at the World Championships but he bowed out in the first round. Meanwhile, the BTTA Phoenix Assurance Super League will begin tomorrow with some exciting ties at the BNYC Hall.

The Super League was supposed to kick off on Wednesday but was postponed to this Saturday and it is only contested by the top eight players in both the men's and women's sections.

In a series of exciting fixtures of day one, the master will meet his apprentice as number two, Thobo Matlhatsi and top-ranked, Tshenolo Mooketsi meet at 10:30am. Boago Malobela and Tiro Lesomo, ranked sixth and seventh, will face off in a 9am start time.

Top-ranked woman paddler, Tshepiso Rebatenne will begin her title defence against sixth-ranked, Emmah Lelatisitwe while on-form Constance Kuswani will take on eighth-ranked, Tshephang Kebodiwang. The BTTA uses the Super League to ready the national team for the upcoming ITTF Southern Region World Qualifiers that will be hosted from June 29 to July 2 in Gaborone.