Choppies dangles P1 million Olympic bounty
Calistus Kolantsho | Wednesday June 29, 2016 11:41
The Olympic Games take place from August 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Choppies group chief executive officer, Ramachandran Ottapathu made the big announcement at a press conference in Gaborone yesterday.
Ottapathu said the gold medal winners will pocket P1 million cash prize each, silver medallists P500,000 while third spot guarantees a still handsome P250,000.
Athletes who reach the finals receive P75,000. He said the incentives also apply to the Paralympics team that will be competing in September.
“We have held a few engagements with the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) in the past, starting with the London 2012 Olympics and the 2014 Africa Youth Games that were held in Gaborone,” said Ottapathu.
He said they are optimistic that all athletes will bring medals from Rio. He said Botswana has a track record at the Olympics and this year is no different. Botswana won its first Olympic medal in 2012 when Nijel Amos, who again carries the nation’s hopes this year, won a silver medal.Ottapathu announced that they will go back and discuss incentives for coaches.
The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, Kago Ramokate said the government appreciates the gesture made by Choppies and hopes that the partnership will encourage other companies to come forward.
“I am hopeful that in future, Choppies will extend their support to include pre-games training and camps. Preparing a team to compete with the best calls for more resources being coaches, medical doctors, travel and accommodation,” he said.
Meanwhile, BNOC chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho said Choppies is always the first to react when BNOC makes a plea. He said the incentives will motivate the athletes as they take on the world.
“Olympics do not have monitory prizes. That has led to our athletes participating in other competitions such as the Diamond League before the Olympics. They become exhausted before the Olympics,” he said.
Serufho said top athletes in the World such as Usain Bolt target Olympics because they are aware of endorsements by big companies after winning medals.