Axing of duo mars Para team preparations
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday October 3, 2025 06:00
But athletes have since written a letter to the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) and Paralympic Sport Association of Botswana (PASSOBO) in support of Maotwe. The team spent two weeks training without a coach.
PASSOBO spokesperson, Kgosietsile Motlhaping, said they are also concerned about the performance of the team in India.
When asked about firing the coach, he explained that there was a misunderstanding concerning the team; therefore, the board confronted the individuals being the coach as well as the team manager.
“We made sure to make visits to the athletes as a way to mentor them as well as give them courage,” Motlhaping said.
Meanwhile, the team has been struggling at the World Paralympic Championships.
On Wednesday, the team had done six events; the T13 100m final, where Gloria Majaga finished in position five, with her last event, the T13 400m, set for October 5.
Bonkamile Bankaetse competed in the T11 400m, where he won in the preliminary round, but failed to proceed beyond the semi-finals. He and his guide, Thuso Baleseng, however, bowed out with a Personal Best (PB) of 54.50.
Another para-athlete, Ronald Rich, finished in position six in the T37 200m and did not make it to the final. Rich also failed to reach the final in the T37 400m.
Lame Monamati and Stanley Matutu, both in the T12 400m, could not proceed to the semi-finals. Edwin Masuge and Bose Mokgwathi were in the T13 400m heats yesterday (Thursday).
The team manager, Monty Ratlou, told MmegiSport that preparations for the championships were not enough due to the closure of the National Stadium for most of the season and the country’s economic situation.
“Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) events were disrupted, and those are events we compete at because budgetary constraints do not allow us to attend international competitions.
“Mostly, we use the BAA series to prepare athletes. Otherwise, there was a training camp a month prior to the championships, and I am hopeful something will happen in the remaining events,” Ratlou said.