Top ranked Muzola-Pelonomi living squash dream
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday July 22, 2016 12:35
“I am someone who likes fighting for myself that is why I did not want a team sport. I do not want a situation whereby my dream is diminished because of a team mate,” the 17-year-old said with confidence.
Born in Jwaneng, the youngster started off as a tennis player. He moved to squash in 2009, when he was introduced to the game by a coach identified only as Moyo. At the time, the young Pelonomi was a pupil at Teemane Primary School and since then he has never looked back. Pelonomi has dominated local primary schools tournaments and gone on to test his skills against the best outside the country.
“In 2010, I was selected in a tournament as the number one seeded player and since then I have remained in the same position. There is no strong competition here. Other players are failing to move me from there,” he said.
Pelonomi met his current coach, Koketso Condrad Ntsebe when he was a student at Morama Junior Secondary School, who introduced him to a whole new level of squash.
Pelonomi, currently a form four student at Gaborone Senior Secondary School said his best moment was when he was part of the team that brought home a silver medal from the Under 19 boys IPTs squash tournament that was held in Cape Town recently.
He said during the tournament, he won all his matches.
“I want to become a top squash player in the country, even better than Alister Walker. I have already registered with Professional Squash Association (PSA),” he said.
Pelonomi said at the moment he is working hard to improve his rankings.
He is currently ranked position 454 in the world and number nine in Africa.
He said his next target is to qualify for the Commonwealth Games and has to be below position 200 in the world to achieve the dream.
“With hard work, I foresee my dreams coming true. I have a good coach and strong support from my mother,” said Pelonomi, who is the first of two siblings in his family.
FACT FILE
Full names: Theo Muzola-Pelonomi
Date of birth: May 21 1999
Place of birth: Jwaneng
Sport: Squash