Over 200 aim for table tennis grand prize
Kabelo Boranabi | Sunday September 29, 2024 11:20
For the fifth edition, the Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) did not require players to pay registration fees for the tournament that is to be held from September 30 to October 1. However, for a third consecutive year, the Phoenix Assurance Independence Grand Finale will not have the P25, 000 grand prize. The BTTA's public relations officer, Tshegofatso Malepa, said the financial resources have been diverted to include the juniors' competition in the Grand Finale. She further said they anticipate the number of registered players to increase ahead of the deadline, which is today (Friday) at 5pm. 'Remember, we had no junior events before, and the change was a way of incorporating juniors into the system so as to have holistic growth to our game through the distribution of resources. At least 202 participants (have registered) thus far, and the number will increase as registration is ongoing,' Malepa told MmegiSport on Wednesday.
The Phoenix Assurance Grand Finale is a premier table tennis tournament as over the past editions have lived up to the billing. Top-ranked, Tshepiso Rebatenne, will be gunning for a fourth Grand Finale title. She has the most wins in the tournament, winning three of the last four editions, and is the only player to clinch the P25, 000 grand prize. Last year, Rebatenne was dethroned by Constance Kuswani who has since moved to India on a scholarship. The number one will have to fend off competition from Olorato Ramagapu, Emmah Lelatisitswe, and Tsholofelo Gaokgalemelwe in her bid to regain her title. Second-ranked Mompati Chabe is enjoying the form of his life on the table, and he hopes it continues ahead of the Grand Finale. Defending champion Bakang Maloka is a clear favourite, while Masa Lesole and Tiro Lesomo pose a threat. The Phoenix Assurance Grand Finale is a closed tournament but BTTA has invited Zambia. The northern neighbours made their debut in the last edition and presented a threat with Westone Tumaba and Charles Banda finishing in the semi-finals.
'It is not open to international athletes, but we have invited the Zambia Table Tennis Association to give the event an international atmosphere and standard. Our target is to improve our results internationally; therefore, we need to always be on our toes,' Malepa said. Meanwhile, the BTTA will mark its 30th anniversary and Malepa said there will be a brief celebration at the end of October. 'The cherry on top is that we celebrate 30 years in style as we managed to be inclusive through free registration for this tournament, which is a Grand Finale. We managed to host two continental events, the Africa Youth Championships and Continental Hopes and Challenge Week,' she added.
'We are now at the top Tier being Tier 1, we currently have 12 athletes who are studying and playing table tennis in India through our relationship with India Embassy. We have employment opportunities with KGK Diamond Botswana for our young athletes to explore and nurture their lifetime skills to become responsible citizens and also to increase their value in the corporate industry as a result of the experience. Finally, we celebrate having official sponsors being Phoenix Assurance Botswana, Stag Global and Jin Motors Botswana,' Malepa said. The winners of the Grand Finale walk away with P5, 000 cash, whilst runners-up get P3, 000. Semi finalists, will each take home P2, 000. The winners in the juniors category will pocket P3, 000 whilst silver medallists earn P2, 000, and the semi-finalists will go home with P1, 000.