Local pool player clinches Eswatini title
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday January 15, 2024 16:00
Speaking to SportMonitor after the weekend tournament, Moleofi said the competition was open to all players. She said her preparations ahead of the tournament included doing drills during the week and playing men’s tournaments over the weekends. She also said in December she travelled to Zimbabwe for an international tournament, where she was knocked out in the last eight stage.
“I went back to the drawing board to work on my mistakes. During the festive break I was busy preparing. I did not travel because I knew that with proper preparations, I stood a good chance of winning the tournament. I even told my coach that this year I want to make a name for myself,” she said.
Moleofi admitted that the tournament was not a walk in the park as she started badly only to recover after a few rounds as she got accustomed to the pressure of the games. “I remember my first race I was losing 3- 0 and I came back to win 4-3; the games were timed. I learned during the tournament that there is no weak player in pool.
Anything can happen and everyone can be a champion. You can be beaten by a player who cannot hold the cue stick properly. So you need to take every game as a final, with that mindset, you can be a champion,” Moleofi said. She said the Eswatini Pool Festival win is a step in the right direction as she prepares to book a slot in the team that will play in the World Pool Championships in October.
Moleofi is a former football player having played for Untouchables and Wonder Girls before she switched to pool in 2014. Meanwhile, the Botswana Billiards Confederation (BBC) spokesperson, Marang Morolong said Moleofi’s victory fits in well with their agenda to grow pool in the country, despite the challenges they face in terms of compliance at the Registrar of Societies.
“The win gives (us) hope that indeed we have a bright future and harbour the greatest chances of our country getting a medal at the 2024 World Pool Championships. Remember, the women team took silver medal at the All Africa Blackball Championships. During that competition, Moleofi finished in position four in the singles category.
She also went on to compete in Zimbabwe where she was knocked out (in the last eight). The participations are made possible as a way of safeguarding the sport,” he said. Morolong said they are preparing for the World Championships that would be held in England later this year and they believe they would have dealt with BBC discrepancies by March. He explained that over 26 clubs are being assisted to comply. “Some have finished the process and awaiting certification from the Registrar. That would make us a fully fledged federation and Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) would be able to lift our suspension,” Morolong added.