Nhabe–BDF rivalry simmers as Smash Maniacs fade
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday October 6, 2025 06:00
Once-dominant Smash Maniacs TTC, long the force to beat on the local circuit, found themselves sidelined as the two powerhouses carved up the senior honours. It was not a clean sweep for the emerging force at the barracks as Nhabe and BDF split the senior crowns, underlining a power shift that could redefine the domestic game.
Nhabe and the country's number one, Tshepiso Rebatenne, were untouchable in the women’s singles, brushing aside BDF’s Constance Kuswani in straight sets (11–1, 11–8, 11–6). Rebatenne’s ruthless display cemented her as the face of Nhabe’s resurgence.
BDF responded in the men’s singles through the number one-ranked Bakang Maloka, who showcased grit and composure in a five-set thriller against Smash Maniacs’ Masa Lesole.
After trading sets, Maloka sealed the decider 12–3, a statement win that confirmed BDF’s newly acquired firepower at the top level. Nhabe doubled down in the mixed team event, with Rebatenne again at the heart of victory alongside Tshephang Mogala.
Their chemistry overwhelmed Smash Maniacs’ pairing of Tsholofelo Gaokgalemelwe and Tiro Lesomo, leaving the once-feared Maniacs staring at a harsh reality: their stranglehold on local table tennis is slipping.
For years, Smash Maniacs defined Botswana table tennis, producing champions and dominating finals. But in 2025, the spotlight has shifted. The club managed only one notable senior showing, Lesole’s narrow defeat in the men’s final, whilst rivals walked away with the silverware.
Even in the junior ranks, where they once thrived, Smash Maniacs managed only one title through Reneilwe Lekorwe, who staged a heroic comeback against Bontleng’s Thato Kgongwana.
Whilst Nhabe and BDF wrestled for senior supremacy, the Bontleng/Ithuteng development programme owned the junior categories, signalling a bright future.
Their girls swept the singles, with Boitlamo Nkele edging teammate Carol David in a five-set classic. Only Lekorwe’s junior boys’ singles triumph for Smash Maniacs prevented a clean sweep, further underlining the shift in balance.