Record turnout for BDF Open
Tuesday, July 01, 2025 | 530 Views |
Under-19 boys finalist, Thato Kgongwana (red) of Bontleng/ Ithuteng club against Reneilwe Lekorwe (blue) of Smash Maniacs PIC.KENNEDY RAMOKONE
The tournament, which was held at Babusi Hall, in Gaborone was initially scheduled for a day, on Saturday. However due to an increased in number of entrants, the 2025 BDF Open extended to Sunday morning.
This year the tournament drew a staggering 211 players across four categories, marking a major milestone for local table tennis competitions’ growth in Botswana. The senior men’s category alone attracted 63 players, while the ladies’ draw featured 52 competitors. The junior divisions were equally impressive, with 48 boys and 48 girls battling it out on the across, signaling that interest in the sport is surging.
It is not uncommon in this part of the world for parents to actually punish their children when they show signs of depression associating it with issues of indiscipline, and as a result, the poor child will be lashed or given some kind of punishment. We have had many suicide cases in the country and sadly some of the cases included children and young adults. We need to start looking into issues of mental health with the seriousness it...