Judokas target five medals in Swaziland

Tumelo Mouwane | Thursday March 26, 2015 16:54

 

The squad has five cadets - three boys and two girls; five junior boys, one junior girl; four seniors - two girls and two boys.

Team manager, Patricia Nthibo said the Judokas are eager to perform well. “Players are anticipating positive results from the competition.

We intend to win at least two gold medals, two silver and one bronze. We have not been in camp but players have been turning up for training on a daily basis,” she explained.

She said two players will win new caps at the regional tournament.

“We have two players, Matshidiso Chakalisa and Lucky Mabaka who will be in their first international assignments. Lucky’s biggest appearance was at last year’s Zimbabwe Region V competitions,” she said.

“The team is made up of judokas who have always succeeded in both regional and international platform. We have the likes of Bakang Batshwane, Gaven Mogopa who brought a gold medal from Zimbabwe, and Thato Lebang who brought gold from the Youth African Games,” said Nthibo.

The championships will see seven countries: South Africa, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Seychelles - take part together with the hosts. The Swaziland Judo Association (SJA) was awarded the rights to host the tournament last year.

The Botswana team:

Cadet boys: Bakang Baitshenyetsi, Moyana Otukile and Omolemo Molwelwa

Cadet girls: Lucky Mabaka, Matseliso Chakela

Junior boys: Gavin Mogopa, Tirelo Lekoko, and Thato Lebang, Thobile Bogatsu and Thabang Mofokeng

Junior girls: Min Young Kim

Senior men: Kgosipula Kaupa, Advent Monyatsiwa, and Lesedi Bewlay

Senior women: Tiroyaone Kapeko and Neo Kapeko