Stern test awaits Diteemane on three fronts
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday July 17, 2026 10:31
The schedule features regional, continental and international competitions, starting with the Southern Africa Regional Championships in Harare, Zimbabwe, from July 18 to 20, 2026. This week, Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) unveiled squads for three major tournaments that will take the country's top players to Zimbabwe, Ghana and India in a stern test of the country's growing status on the international stage.
The Region 5 Championships in Zimbabwe will kick start the busy schedule, with Diteemane fielding a blend of experienced internationals and rising stars.
The senior women's team comprises Boitlamo Nkele, Tshepiso Rebatenne, and Emmah Lelatisitswe, whilst the Diteemane men's squad features Tshireletso Samuel, Bakang Makola, Boago Malobela, and Reneilwe Lekorwe.
Also travelling to Harare are Kola Modisathebe and Tsholofelo Gaokgalelwe, who form part of Botswana's Region 5 team. The teams will be under the guidance of former number one, Thobo Matlhatsi and Tshepo Serokolo.
Following the regional championships, attention will turn to Ghana, where Diteemane will compete at the ITTF Africa Hopes Week and the ITTF Africa Youth Championships, before wrapping up the month at the Commonwealth Senior Championships in New Delhi, India, from July 27 to August 2.
The demanding schedule reflects the strides local table tennis has made over the past few years, with Diteemane establishing themselves amongst the region's strongest teams whilst increasingly earning places at continental and global competitions.
One of the busiest players will be Boitlamo Nkele, who has been selected for the Region 5 Championships, the Africa Youth Championships and the Commonwealth Championships.
The Africa Youth Championships team also includes Carol Peengo David, Stephney Batsholeng, Brianna Mogaladi, Lekorwe, Thato Kgongwana, and Gofaone Dzvaka, whilst Batsholeng will additionally represent Botswana at the ITTF Africa Hopes Week.
The Commonwealth Championships squad is made up of Tshenolo Mooketsi, Sean Dekop, Arthur Kgaswe, Boitlamo Nkele, Rebatenne, and Lelatisitswe.
Speaking during the senior national team's farewell ceremony on Wednesday, Phoenix of Botswana Assurance Company Chief Financial Officer Rahul Srivastava expressed confidence that the team would rise to the challenge.
'Beating some of the best teams on their home turf is something very difficult, which the team I see today has already done. 'So I am very, very confident that you guys will go to Zimbabwe and do even better,' he said.
Srivastava added that the players carried the hopes of an entire nation.
'It is not just us who are looking forward to the medals that you can bring and what you can achieve. I think it is the nation which is looking forward,' he said.
Srivastava challenged the players to emulate Botswana's recent international sporting success, particularly in athletics. 'We have seen some other athletes also in the last one or two years, especially in the relay athletics. Athletes have done extremely well. I think your time has come, as you have proven in the last one or two years,' he said.