Titans, Gata are Makgadikgadi champions
Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday October 6, 2026 10:13
Titans Softball Club emerged as the women’s champions, while Gatalamotho claimed the men’s title with the two champions walking away P75,000 richer.
BDF men and women finished second to take home P40,000 each, while Police IX claimed third position in both the men’s and women’s categories to receive P30,000 each.
One of the tournament's organisers, Tumi Gabantese, told Sport Monitor that the idea behind the event was to make something bigger for softball in Botswana.
They wanted something that would give teams more opportunities to compete, give players greater exposure and, at the same time, take the sport beyond its traditional centres, she explained.
“We also wanted to showcase what the Makgadikgadi region has to offer. So, from the beginning, the vision was never just about playing softball,” Gabantese said.
“It was about combining sport, tourism, community engagement and creating a platform that could grow into a major event on the Botswana sporting calendar.
“Most importantly, we wanted to raise the standard of competition and create something that players, supporters and the wider community could be proud of.”
Gabantese said she was impressed by how the tournament turned out.
For a first edition, the organiser said, there were a lot of moving parts, but seeing the teams compete at such a high level and witnessing the response from supporters made all the hard work worthwhile.
She added the competition was intense, which was exactly what the they wanted to give players meaningful, competitive games and a platform where they could really test themselves.
“One of the highlights for us was also the opportunity to interact with the community of Sowa. It reminded us that this tournament is not only about softball, but also about connecting with communities and creating an experience that everyone can feel part of.
“There are obviously lessons we have taken from this first edition, but overall, I am proud of what we managed to achieve. It showed us that there is a real appetite for this kind of event and that the Makgadikgadi Grand Slam has the potential to become something much bigger in the future,” Gabantese said.
She mentioned that organising the tournament was not easy, with the cost involved presenting one of the biggest challenges, particularly because they decided to run the competition in a five-series format.
“That meant we were not organising just one tournament. We had to sustain the competition across five different series, which required significant financial and logistical resources.
“Then came the grand finale in Sowa, which demanded even more work. Bringing everything together for the final event, from the teams and officials to the venue, logistics, accommodation, supporters and overall presentation, required a lot of coordination behind the scenes,” Gabantese said.
When asked about the low spectator turnout, she explained that it could be attributed to a number of factors, including the fact that the tournament was held during a public holiday.
“The majority of Sowa residents are miners who usually go home for the holidays,” she said.
“We got a better turnout on Saturday when presumably they were back. Another reason is that people generally want to watch the final games more than the elimination stages. Yes, ticket prices could also have been an issue, but we cannot attribute it to only that.”
Individual Awards
Best Pitcher Women: Gotlamang Sixpence Men: Mothusi Bolele
Best Catcher Women: Malebogo Ramaphane Men: Unaswi Fani
Slugger Women: Bonolo Molefhe Men: James Mutoroke
MVP Women: Bonolo Molefhe Men: Kabo Matlho
Best Coach Women: Disang Selemogwe Men: Obusitswe Lekgothu
LOC Chairperson’s Award Gopolang Matsila