Botswana send 14 to Commonwealth Youth Games
Naledi Lemogang | Friday July 14, 2017 16:43
Luza said they are embarking on a big mission, which is to compete and bring home medals to promote the future of sport in the country. “The athletes have been involved in preparations and are ready to face the best in the world. The team consists of athletes who have been performing and achieving from their latest competitions and the coaches have been doing a great job in training them so that they carry their strength to the competitions,” Luza said.
He further noted that the experience that the athletes would be exposed to would give them motivation. The team is made up of athletes from swimming, boxing, athletics and cycling and Luza believes the performance of the team would also raise awareness for a particular sporting codes in Botswana like what netball has done during the ongoing 2017 Netball World Youth Cup in Gaborone.
Speaking during the send-off ceremony on Wednesday, the assistant minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Kefentse Mzwinila said they are proud of local sports administrators for grooming athletes to compete at international level at a tender age.
“Botswana is hosting the 2017 Netball World Youth Cup event at the moment, which is a sign that sport administrators are doing great work in improving sports in the country. Today we are sending off individuals who are committed, to Bahamas, to participate in a world event as ambassadors of Botswana,” Mzwinila said.
He urged the athletes to do their best to make Batswana proud and create their own profiles at a young age saying they should also use the opportunity to create their own profiles in the history of Botswana sport.
He added that the games lay a foundation for Botswana’s future stars and assist participants acquire experience through competing at world class events.
The teams:-
Athletics
Women: Oarabile Tshosa (100m, 200m), Naledi Lopang (400m), Rose Sanane (100m, 200m), Thlompang Basele (400m)
Men: Phodiso Rampa (200m), Omphile Ntaolang (400m), Mothusi Boitshwarelo (200m), Olesitse Bernard (400m, 800m)
Swimming
Men: James Freeman (50m, 100m freestyle, butterfly, 200m freestyle)
Cycling
Women: Tsaone Latiwa (Road race and time trial)
Men: Arnold Kokwane, Dimpho Masi (both road race and time trial)
Boxing
Men: Treasure Moremi (56kg), Brian Galelemogwe (64kg)