Mabote back in table tennis national team
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday March 24, 2017 15:06
A dark cloud has been hanging over the player’s national team career after he clashed with his coaches on numerous occasions.
Mabote made headlines for the wrong reasons after he was accused of misconduct, with the most recent being at the All Africa Games held in Congo-Brazzaville in 2015 where the player was allegedly drunk in camp.
However, the 33-year-old kissed and made up with the national team coaches following a meeting called by the BTTA executive committee, with the issue handled internally.
It remained to be seen whether the player would be given a chance to earn a place in the national team, and he did in the first national selection camp that was restricted to the Top 32 players.
The Smash Maniacs’ star finished inside the top four in the first round. He told Mmegi Sport yesterday that he would never decline a chance to represent his country.
He was glad to be given a chance to contest for a spot in the team that would represent the country at the African Union Sports Commission Region V tournament to be held in Gaborone in November.
“Since that time I have never had a talk with them (coaches). I only saw them at the tournament. I am not that kind of a person who holds grudges against anybody. I’m just glad that I was again given a chance to showcase my talent. I made it in the first selection where I finished among the top four. All I can say is, I am happy to be part of the team,” he said.
Despite his off the pitch issues, Mabote has been dominating the local scene and is the country’s number one ranked player.
Meanwhile, the BTTA would hold a Top-16 tournament this weekend at the BNYC table tennis training hall. Mabote who enters the competition as the defending champion is aware that he is the man to beat. “I know it is not going to be a walkover as a lot of people are preparing hard for the tournament.
There are youngsters, Bakang (Maloka) and Boago (Malobela) who are very good but lack mental strength to be on top of their game always.
“From my side, I have not been preparing well due to the area where I work. I reside in Mabule where there are no training facilities and I cannot come to Gaborone every weekend. The last time I had some training was at the national team selections,” he said.
The one-day tournament will only feature players who are ranked in the top 16. However, there would be a reserve tournament for those who finish outside the top 16.
The winners of the tournament in both the males and females sections would walk away with P1,200, runners-up with P800 while third-placed players would pocket P350.
The tournament is sponsored by Cerliat Construction and Plant Hire.