Delegates impressed with Botswana's rowing facility

MPHO MOKWAPE
Correspondent | Wednesday June 27, 2012 00:00

 

Speaking at a media briefing yesterday, President of Technical Commission of Africa Rowing, Faysal Soula said they are impressed with the condition of the Gaborone Dam after inspection.

 The Dam is said to be better than the one which was used at the last Olympic Games held in Morocco.

He said the inclusion of rowing in the Africa youth games will accord athletes to prepare as rowing will be part of the 2014 youth Olympic Games in China. Soula also said the opportunity offers Botswana the chance to develop rowing locally since they are willing to help and support Botswana with sport material like rowing boats.

Furthermore, Soula said rowing has been an Olympic sport since 1900 and is one of the less expensive sports seeing as a rowing boat can last up to 20 years.

The sport is also not time consuming- it can take only 12 months to teach a good swimmer rowing techniques.

The delegates said all was well; according to them, all that remains is to prepare the athletes for competing.

They hope Africa will give Botswana the chance to host the games as they stand a 70 percent chance of winning the bid. Soula said they will help Botswana develop the sport even without the youth games.

For his part, BNOC Chief Executive Officer, Tuelo Serufho said they added rowing as one of the youth games because including  more sporting codes increased Botswana's chances of hosting the games. He also said they would still develop rowing in Botswana whether or not they won the bid.