African Games team in glory hunt
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday March 2, 2024 06:00
The mission is to fight for a podium finish while some athletes will use the platform to try and qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Fifty-four athletes across all codes have qualified for the African Games. The team will be accompanied by 34 officials. Athletics, boxing, taekwondo, beach volleyball, 3x3 basketball, weightlifting, swimming, tennis and judo are the participating codes. Swimming, beach volleyball and 3x3 basketball will be the first to leave for Ghana on Sunday.
Beach volleyball team goes to the competition with better rankings, as the men’s duo of Sekao Jack and George Chiswaniso is ranked number one in Zone VI while the women’s team of Ngirl Wright and Jestinah Moyo is number two in the region. The team manager, Pogiso Osupile, said they expect to do better in Ghana, although they have never played with other zones, they can reach the semi-finals. “African Games are a build-up to the continental leg to qualify for the Olympics,” he said. Weightlifting is sending one athlete, Alphius Bokang Kagiso who competes in the 109kg category. Weightlifting coach, Alex Rankgwe said initially they were not part of the team, only to be included last week and they then started training. “Kagiso is my only athlete. He is still pushing to punch his ticket to Paris and he is in the Olympic Solidarity scholarship.
We accepted the inclusion because we felt it increased our qualifying chances,” he said. For his part, the Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) president, Gilbert Khunwane said his team is attending a training camp in Zambia and will leave for Ghana on Tuesday. The team comprises six boxers, Keamogetse Kenosi, Phekie Bele, Kobamelo Molathegi, Rajab Mahommed Otukile, George Molwantwa and Mmoloki Sekwaipe. Taekwondo secretary general, Tumelo Mapila said they have a mammoth task ahead of them in Accra if they want to continue their quest to qualify for the Olympics, after failing to qualify during the Africa qualifiers held in Dakar, Senegal.
“Countries do not qualify by chance, it is tough to make it through. In countries that are at the qualification level, you will see the results of years of preparation. Even if you are not a good athlete, backed with good training and exposure, you can qualify,” he said. Mapila said the most important thing is development and qualification, and a medal would be a bonus.
As has become the norm, athletics is expected to bring the highest number of medals from Ghana, although star sprinter, Letsile Tebogo is not part of the team. A send off ceremony will be held on Sunday for the African Games team.