Gaborone welcomes world’s rising table tennis stars
Kabelo Boranabi | Wednesday November 11, 2026 10:04
The tournament, scheduled for November 11–14 at the Botswana National Youth Centre (BNYC), is expected to attract approximately 350 young athletes from more than 15 countries.
The Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) has assembled a 30-member national squad comprising 16 boys and 14 girls, who will compete across five age categories: Under-11, Under-13, Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19. The opening day's action is scheduled to begin at 9am with the Under-17 boys' singles first-round matches, followed by the Under-13 boys' and girls' competitions and the Under-17 girls' singles.
Botswana's Under-17 boys' challenge will be spearheaded by Tebogo Kotopo, Kgotla Thebeyame, Thato Kgongwana and Botshelo Sita, while Abigail Molaba and Kgotso Kootsene will carry the country's hopes in the girls' category. In the Under-13 boys' competition, Botswana will be represented by Agobakwe Sebetlela and Andile Mmono, while Sedilame Gaetshajwe and Carol David will compete in the girls' division.
These players will be amongst the first members of Team Botswana scheduled to enter the competition on the opening day, although their individual opponents and match times have not been specified in the available programme. Meanwhile, the remaining members of Team Botswana will enter the competition on Friday when the Under-11, Under-15 and Under-19 singles events get underway.
The Under-11 boys' team features David Monnye, Kevin Molandu, Joseph Kula and Dhaamic Karthik, while Sethunya Buisanyang, Makanaka Banni, Stephney Batsholeng and Jwame Mojuta will represent Botswana in the girls' category. In the Under-15 division, Team Botswana will field Lefika Monnye, Tinashe Dzaka, Brendan Olsen and Reneilwe Lekorwe in the boys' competition, alongside Masa Motlhabane, Briannah Mogaladi, Boitlamo Nkele and Ayanda Katimpa in the girls' event.
Katlo Kgosietsile and Tebogelo Dipebe complete the national squad in the Under-19 boys' category. The hosts will face international opposition from countries including India, Sri Lanka, Croatia, Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Namibia, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Lesotho, with 12 countries, including Botswana, listed as confirmed participants in the tournament's promotional material.
Beyond the competition, the historic event offers Botswana's young players an opportunity to test themselves against international opponents on home soil while gaining valuable exposure to high-level competition. The tournament continues tomorrow with the Under-13 and Under-17 singles finals, while the remaining age-group competitions will unfold over the final two days, culminating in the Under-15 and Under-19 singles finals on Saturday.