Darts youth team shines in South Africa
Koketso Kgoboge | Tuesday September 12, 2017 15:08
Botswana finished second behind Zimbabwe with Botswana Darts Association (BDA) spokesperson, Neo Badubi saying they had sent fewer players, which saw them end as runners up.
“We had a stronger team than Zimbabwe and we beat them. They brought quite a number of players and that is how they managed to beat us overall,” he said.
He said the Under-15s managed to defend their title.
“We are proud of the team that represented us. They performed extremely well. Our problem is continuity from the Under-15 to Under-18 and of course the low number of players. These are the issues that we have taken as an assignment.”
The team had 16 players of eight boys and eight girls divided into four teams.
The dominant Under-15 teams scooped gold in both team games and doubles. They also won the overall gold and two trophies for boys and girls teams. The two Under-18 teams settled for bronze.
The players also competed in singles games. Lone Poloka and Bofelo Tapiwa scooped silver in the Under-15 singles boys and girls respectively.
Botswana’s Under-15 boys team that won gold had Poloka, Monametsi Seabelo, Kealeboga Tshegofatso and Katlego Olebile.
On their road to glory, the boys crushed Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The quartet also scooped gold in their respective doubles. Their counterparts in the girls section, Tapiwa, Tlamelo Oagile, Tshegofatso Mbenge and Delphinah Emmanuel, also got the gold. The girls did not have it easy. They needed a tie-breaker to clinch top position. After their success against Zimbabwe, they succumbed to Swaziland.
Zimbabwe then beat Swaziland to force a tie decider. The young starlet, Emmanuel became Botswana’s heroin as she stood her ground in the decider to win the tie and ensure the local girls walk away with gold.
Meanwhile, Badubi was elected the Region V secretary general during elections held on Thursday before the competition started.
Badubi becomes the third local to serve in the regional office after two former BDA presidents Kegolotswe Morutwa and Basil January. “I am happy to be appointed the regional secretary. It’s a challenge and I have to deliver to the best of my ability. It’s a great achievement for me, for BDA and for Botswana,” Badubi said.
“The nation will be represented at the regional body and BDA will be in a position to have its issues of darts development and policy changes properly addressed at regional level.”