Football missing as athletics dominates
Nchidzi Masendu | Saturday July 8, 2023 06:00
The full list of nominees for the 42nd Botswana Sport Awards to be held on August 12, is out and it is athletics that received the most nominations.
Athletics received nine nominations, but surprisingly, Tebogo Letsile, tipped to grab the Sportsperson of the Year award, is only recognised for the Junior Sportsperson of the Year award.
The awards returned last year after disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I believe the awards symbolise the unity that exists within Botswana sports, that is why you see the collaboration between the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) and the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) together with the Department of Broadcasting Services to bring to Batswana an exciting night which honours our athletes, coaches, and administrators,” BNOC senior vice president, Tshepo Sitale said.
Additionally, Sitale said Botswana needs to invest in empowering officials, empires and administrators so that they become elite not relying on volunteers. The chairperson of the Adjudication Panel, Charmaine Koveya, outlined how they had chosen this year's nominees. “The panel convened in April 2023 to start the process of adjudication. The committee aligns to the principles of fairness, to address issues of conflict of interest since among us we have a national sporting association and active members,” said Koveya.
She said the BNSC calls its affiliates to submit nominees of their choice for selection and those selected will compete with other athletes from different codes. Also, the selected candidates are adjudicated by the committee and candidates are appraised by the BNSC performance and awards system, she added. The BNSC chairperson, Marumo Morule said the awards were supposed to be held in the first quarter of the year, around March and April but had to be moved to August due to logistics.
He expects next year’s awards will be held in the first quarter of the year.
The nominees: Junior Sportswoman of the Year Obakeng Kamberuka (athletics), Bafitlhelanyi Matlhare (volleyball), Ekua Youri (tennis)
Junior Sportsman of the Year Letsile Tebogo (athletics), Denzel Seetso (tennis), Mmoloki Sekwaipe (boxing)
Sportswoman and sportsman with disability (To be announced at the awards)
Sportswoman of the Year Lethabo Modukanele (boxing), Tsaone Sebele (athletics), Centy Kgosikoma (karate)
Sportsman of the Year Bayapo Ndori (athletics), Gofaone Mosupiemang (karate), George Molwantwa (boxing)
Team of the Year Senior men 4 x400m relay (athletics), Female Team Kata (karate), Jack Sekao and George Chiswaniso (beach volleyball)
Coach of the Year Kebonyemodisa Dose Mosimanyane (athletics), Thebe Setlalekgosi (boxing), Gasegarona Pabalelo (bowling)
Umpire/Referee of the Year Dorothy Okatch (basketball), Kavin Tshepo Kelaotswe (athletics), Abel Mataboge (softball)
Sports Administrator of the Year Paphane Botlhale (athletics), Gilbert Khunwane (boxing), Keorapetse Setlhare (BOTESSA)
Non-Citizens sports awards Sensei William Rene Matike-Ndoumbe (judo), George Ngata Kieni (bowling)
National Sport Association of the Year Botswana Athletics Association, BOTESSA, Botswana Boxing Association