Badminton squads for Youth Games named
Lekopanye Mooketsi | Friday February 7, 2014 14:06
The Senior Championships will be held in April with the Africa Youth Games following in May.
BBA spokesperson Thabo Kgaswane said they had started preparing for the Africa Youth Games. He said players would be called for a major training camp next week.
'Basically we are holding training camps for the two national teams every weekend at Tsholofelo Hall,' he disclosed.
'Preparations are going well. Everything is in place. We are giving the teams maximum attention,' he said.
He said they were targeting at least two medals at the Africa Youth Games. “We are capable of doing it,” he said confidently.
He said the senior team did well in the last championships that were held two years ago. Gaone Tawana was ranked fifth in the singles in Africa while Botho Makubate and Oreeditse Thela were ranked fifth in the mixed doubles.
Kgaswane said the junior team was also preparing for the World Junior Championship that will be held in Alor Setar, Malaysia in April. He said they had also selected five players who will be going to Uganda for a three-day international championships that would be running from February 20.
Kgaswane said due to financial constraints, they could only take five players.
Locally, BBA will host the Botswana Open Championships at the end of April.
Junior squad: Boys – Tumisang Olekantse, Tshepo Perekisi, Phomolo Leoke, Thuo Paya and Tinashe Olekantse. Girls – Tessa Kabelo, Gofaone Mhlauli, Tshoganetso Banewang, Bontshitse Omphile and Tshegofatso Kolanyane.
Senior squad: Men – Gaone Tawana, Oreeditse Thela, Tefo Kabomo and Keone Olatose. Women – Botho Makubate, Tebogo Ndzinge, Bonolo Amos and Penoua Kahaka (women).