Team Botswana heads to regional Under-20 Games

Lebogang Mosikare | Wednesday December 3, 2014 10:47

Bulawayo mission: The Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Thapelo Olopeng (right) hands over the Botswana flag to Chef de Mission, Healer Modiradilo during the AUSC region 5 Under- 20 Youth Games send off ceremony in Francistown on Monday. PIC KEOAGILE BONANG

Speaking at the send-off ceremony for the team in Francistown on Monday, the minister said the games accelerate and promote sport development in the region. “This is evidenced by the excellent performance of our very own Nigel Amos who won silver medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games and gold at the World Junior Athletics Championships in Barcelona, Spain,” said Olopeng.

He encouraged the athletes to take sports seriously because it is a source of employment. “Your success at regional and continental level will motivate you to take sport as a career,” said Olopeng adding that team work and collaboration will be crucial if the athletes are to deliver to expectations.

The minister advised the team members to conduct themselves properly on and off the field. “I encourage you to stay away from performance enhancing drugs as the unfair advantage they provide is unlawful and short-lived while on the other hand, they have the potential to ruin your health in the future,” said Olopeng.

Team Botswana is made up of athletes from nine sporting codes being athletics, paralympics, basketball, boxing, football, judo, swimming and tennis.

Meanwhile, Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) chairperson, Solly Reikeletseng said that they will consider hosting the next edition of Botswana Games in Francistown provided that the new stadium is ready for use by December next year.

Reikeletseng said that in 2013, they sent a task force to look into the feasibility of Francistown’s readiness and preparedness to host big games. He said that hosting the games in Francistown will boost the local tourism industry and support the city’s vision of becoming a vibrant by 2022.

Giving welcome remarks, Francistown city clerk, Lebuile Israel hailed the move by BNSC to hold the send-off ceremony in the city. “Your coming here is a good move because it supports the local tourism industry since most of the time, sporting activities are held in Gaborone,” said Israel. He urged the athletes to take sports seriously because it is an important sector of the economy that has created multimillionaires in other countries.