Ba Isago to host 39th BNSC awards
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday June 7, 2019 11:41
The country’s biggest sports awards have never been short of controversy, particularly last year, when badminton umpire Emmanuel Kgaboetsile won the Sportsperson of the Year accolade.
He became the first person to win it other than an athlete while breaking the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) dominance.
This year, all eyes will be on the BAA.
The association is not nominated for the Sport Code of the Year category, but will compete in most individual categories.
Track sensation, Baboloki Thebe will go against karate’s superstar, Ofentse Bakwadi and Phemelo Khetho of chess for the Sportsman of the year accolade.
Thebe had a great year, as the 22-year-old won a gold medal at the 2018 African Championships held in Nigeria.
He was part of the 4x400m relay team that scooped gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games while he finished second in the 400m-race at the Australia games.
Thebe will not have it easy, as Bakwadi is the second best karateka in Africa, and he is in line to break into the top 10, thus qualifying for the Olympic Games.
Fide Master, Khetho, like Bakwadi has been dominating the regional scenes but came short at the 43rd Olympiad held last year.
For the Sportswoman of the Year, 400m-sprinter, Christine Botlogetswe is in line for her first individual BNSC accolade. The Rakops-born star is up against karateka, Thabang Maleke and volleyball star, Gaoleseletse Gasekgonwe.
Bernard Olesitse will face stern competition for the junior male award from swimmer James Freeman and Africa’s first ranked junior tennis player, Denzel Seetso. Yet another, sprinter Oarabile Tshosa has been nominated for the junior female award against Entle Maungwa of karate and chess’ Besa Masaite.
The 4x400m relay team is looking to defend the team of the year award against chess youth team and the Police VI men’s team while athletics coach, Mogomotsi Otsetswe is again vying for the coach of the year award.
He is nominated against Peter Molefe of Karate. wKgaboetsile is once again nominated for the referee of the year award alongside Gaone Poane of chess and Mpho Bakwadi of karate as the BAA, Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) and Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) lead the nominations.
The full list of nominees
Sportsman of the Year
Ofentse Bakwadi (Karate)
Baboloki Thebe (Athletics)
Phemelo Kheto (Chess)
Sportswoman of the Year
Thabang Maleke (Karate)
Christine Botlogetswe (Athletics)
Gaoleseletse Gasekgonwe (Volleyball)
Junior Male Sportsperson
James Freeman (Swimming)
Bernard Olesitse (Athletics)
Denzel Seetso (Tennis)
Junior Female Sportsperson
Entle Maungwa (Karate)
Besa Masaite (Chess)
Oarabile Tshosa (Athletics)
Team of the Year
Men 4x400m Relay team
Chess national youth team
Police VI men volleyball team
Coach of the Year
Mogomotsi Otsetswe (Athletics)
Peter Molefe (Karate)
Umpire/Referee of the Year
Gaone Poane (Tennis)
Emmanuel Kgaboetsile (Badminton)
Mpho Bakwadi (Karate)
Sportsperson with Disability (Male)
Edwin Masuge (PASSOBO)
Bose Mokgwathi (PASSOBO)
Bonolo Joseph (Special Olympics)
Sportsperson with Disability (Female)
Gorata Malehang (Speacial Olympics)
Ontlametse Sebokolodi (Special Olympics)
Sports Administrator of the Year
Tshepo Bathai (President, BOKA)
Duncan Segabo (Communication manager, BOTTESSA)
Mothokomedi Thabano (President, BCF)
Sport Association of the Year
Botswana Chess Federation
Botswana Cricket Association
Botswana Karate Association
Non-Citizen Award
Sean Irish (BRU vice president, technical)
Sumod Damodar (Cricket)