Games campaign off to a poor start

MQONDISI DUBE
Staff Writer | Tuesday October 5, 2010 00:00

 

When the team left for India last week, Chef de Mission, Tuelo Serufho said the target was eight medals, but the teams that were in action yesterday received a rude awakening.

Squash player Lefika Ragontse lost 3-1 to Harry Leitch of Scotland in a first round singles match.Ragontse's counterpart, Legotla Mosope, received a bye to the second round after his match against Barbados player, Shawn Simpson, did not take place.

Mosope played Hee Ong of Malaysia in the second round match last night. Ong defeated Zambia's Lazarus Chilufya 3-1. Squash hopes lie with Mosope after the exit of Ragontse as there were only two athletes from the discipline sent to India.

In bowling, Tirelo Buckely and Obopile Mosimanyana lost 2-0 to New Zealand in the women's pairs. The combination of Buckley, an experienced campaigner, and Mosimanyana did not work against the New Zealand pair of Manu Timoti and Jan Khan in their Group A encounter.

The duo did not have any luck against neighbours, Zambia as they came unstuck losing by a similar 2-0 score line. This has all but dashed Botswana's hopes in the women's pairs.

The trips team played New Zealand late yesterday with Tibone Fox, Ivy Morton and Nelly Senna in the team.They faced the New Zealand trio of Geneviere Baildon, Karen Coombe and Dale Lang. The New Zealanders started the match as favourites as they are better placed on the world rankings. At the time of going to press, New Zealand were leading 1-0.

The men's pair of Oabona Motladiile and Phemelo Kebapetse were up against Scotland's Burnett Darren and Speirs Neil. Scotland was leading 1-0 at press time.

Skipper Kitso Robert would be expected to lead from the front when he partners Motshidisi Gabatladiwe and Boitumelo Mosinyi in the men's trips. The two do not have much international experience and will turn to old horse, Robert, for guidance.

Meanwhile, reports from India indicate that chaos characterised day one. After Sunday's glittering opening ceremony, which received rave reviews across the world, New Delhi was back in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.Boxing weigh-in had to be abandoned yesterday as faulty scales registered almost all boxers overweight.

The Associated Press reported that boxers were sent running around the steamy athletes village and into saunas to lose weight only to return to the scales to find themselves heavier than before, some by as much as two kilograms. After irate coaches demanded the scales be checked, Monday's weigh-in was eventually scrapped and officials will try again on recalibrated scales today, only hours before fighting begins. Botswana boxer, Gomotsang Gaasite will be in action in the Light welterweight division against Thomas Melville from Saint Lucia.