Twelve records tumble at BISA, BOPSSA meet
Koketso Kgoboge | Thursday April 13, 2017 13:04
New records were set in the 100m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, javelin men and women, shot put and discuss amongst others.
Tshepiso Masalela, 17, set a new mark in the boys’ 800m with a personal best time of 1.51.40. He broke Thabiso Kgosiemang’s 2016 record of 1.55.14s.
Masalela is also the 1500m record holder. The young Maun Senior Secondary School (SSS) student said he wants to reach Nijel Amos’ heights.
He previously won gold and silver medals in the 1500m and 800m respectively at last year’s Confederation of Schools Sport Association of Southern Africa (COSASA) games held in Namibia.
“Coming to the games I was confident I will win, but I did not think of breaking records. I am just focused on a long term plan of achieving great things like Amos,” he said.
“I have worked extremely hard after I got a silver in 800m in Namibia and I believe with my training programme I will continue cutting down my time and also achieve a COSASA 800m gold in Zimbabwe in May.
I want to be the best in both 800m and 1500m.”
After breaking the BISA javelin record Wabone Tshome, 15, of Lehututu Junior School (JS) in the Kgalagadi region said she is overwhelmed particularly that this is her first national event appearance.
“I am very happy with my achievement in this competition,” she said. “I just came here to compete and I did not know what to expect and to break the record is a great achievement. That also qualifies me for COSASA and I will try and do my best for the country.”
Tshosa Oarabile and Murangi Refilwe both of Goodhope SSS broke the 12.53 and 12.48 100m records that were both set three years ago in 2014 in the inter girls and junior women respectively. Oarabile set a new record of 12.20 and Refilwe set 12.34.
Mokitane Dorcus of Mokobeng JS ran a new 58.92 in the girls 400m, while Pilot Kenneth of Nkange JS and Mooketsi Montshiwa of Goodhope SSS are the new record holders of the 110m hurdles with 14.47 (inter boys) and 15.56 (junior men).
Meanwhile the north and north west zones proved once more, they are the beacons of athletics coming tops. The two came into the competition as defending champions.
In BISA, the Great North finished with a total of 149 medals that include 61 gold, 49 silver and 39 bronze medals.
South zone finished second with a total 92 medals, 29 gold, 32 silver and 31 bronzes. Third placed South Central managed 72 medals, 20 gold, 19 silver and 33 bronzes. North Central came last with 16 gold, 25 silver, 22 bronzes and a total of 63 medals.
Northwest finished first with 62 medals in BOPSSA competitions with 28 gold medals, 19 silver and 15 bronze. South followed them in second with 39 medals, Central third with 36, Southeast fourth with 33 and North East fifth with 30. Kweneng sixth with 26 and then Gantsi with eight medals, Kgalagadi with nine, Chobe with four and last placed Kgatleng managed only two medals.
Other new records,
Gaborone Batane (inter girls) Discuss: 30.69
Bonno Maano (senior men) Discuss: 32.47
Thokamatho Tebogo (inter girls) 1500m: 4.46.67
Lame Nare (girls-girls) 3000m: 10:17:18
Veirta Karmbe (senior men) Shot put: 10.91