Ping pong's 'High Voltage' sends shockwaves to seasoned rivals
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday August 28, 2020 09:53
It was a match that looked like walkover for the reigning queen of the table, the trailblazing Tshepiso Rebatenne.
Rebatenne was at the top of her game before meeting Kuswani in the tournament played at the BNYC hall.
Nicknamed ‘High Voltage’, she was robust on the table and saw her trademark record a 3-2 win to break the reigning champion's unbeaten streak.
“It is my best game, winning against Rebatenne for the first time in an official tournament last year. I take it as my best because it was a tough match, playing against a highly experienced and the nation’s top-ranked player, who had a record of winning against every player she had couple of years in a row and I kind of broke that record,” Kuswani said.
“It is a match that put my name on the spotlight. I have much respect for her, she (Rebatenne) always advices and motivates me a lot, so winning against someone you look up to is a great honour.”
She said it was a match that changed her perspective towards the sport. She received her first national team call-up in July. Currently ranked sixth, Kuswani is ready to give it all for the number one spot. “I am eyeing the number one rank spot now, and I am stubbornly pushing for it with full force. I am working very hard to be at the top. My goal is to be part of the team that will represent Botswana in the next African Games and the World Championships that might be hosted by South Africa (in 2023),” she said.
Kuswani’s journey started from curiosity and she decided to try out when she was a student at Makalamedi Junior School in 2009. She was new on the sporting scene, as she had played netball in her earlier years.
“One day during study time, the table tennis captain approached us in class asking to recruit new players. I was so curious; I asked myself questions like how can a ball be played on the table like how on earth? I was not satisfied with their answers so I registered out of curiosity.
I was a netballer by then, a good one for that matter. The only thing that worried me was my height because apparently it was going to be hard for me to be selected to play in the national team despite my excellent performance. It caused a bit of tension between the table tennis and netball coaches in the school,” she explained.
“I did not see any potential for me in table tennis. I was chosen amongst all the beginners to go represent the school at Maun with the senior players so that I could benchmark. I guess that is the only thing that made me feel better and cultivated my interest for table tennis. The following year, I was transferred to Mmei Junior at Francistown where I was awarded the best player of the year.”
The Gumare-born player said her biggest upset was failing to be in the first team of the 2017 AUSC region V games held in Botswana. She could only make the team as part of the reserves.
“My greatest achievement for now is the Gold Medal I won at the BISA games because it was my first medal I ever won in table tennis and it being a gold medal I still honour it even now. I won it under coach, Tebogo Mafa.” She credits Dineo Saubi who guided her first steps in table tennis, for her achievements.
FACT FILE
Full Name: Constance Lebopo Tshepo Kuswani
Date of Birth: February 28, 1995
Place of Birth: Gumare
Sport: Table tennis
Club: BDF Table Tennis Club
Favourite Players: MushFiq Kalam (South Africa) and Liu Shwen (China)
Hobbies: Charity Work, Mentoring, Outdoor Adventure
Achievements:
Francistown Senior Best player of the year 2013
Francistown Senior Best player of the year 2014
Gold medallist BISA Championships 2014
Gold medallist (Singles) PTIA Games 2016
Gold medallist (Women's doubles) PTIA Games 2016
Gold medallist (Mixed doubles) PTIA Games 2016
Most Valuable Player PTIA Games 2016
Silver medallist BOTESSA Games 2018
Bronze medallist CUCSA Games 2018
Gold medallist (Team event CUCSA Games 2018
Bronze medallist (Mixed doubles) CUCSA Games 2018
Team Events (Gold Medal) CUCSA Games 2018
Bronze medallist (Women's doubles) CUCSA Games 2018
Silver medallist (Singles) BOTESSA Games 2019
Gold medallist (Women's doubles) BOTESSA Games 2019
Botho University (Sports Person Of the Year Award - Female) 2019