National bowls to proceed without a sponsor
Onalenna Kelebeile | Friday May 8, 2015 11:56
Botswana Bowling Association (BBA) public relations officer, John Gaborutwe told Mmegi Sport that traditional sponsors BOMAID have since pulled out due to financial constraints.
“The national tournament is going ahead nonetheless and we are still looking for possible sponsorship,” he added.
The tournament will continue until May 16 at Phikwe Bowls Club and Makhubu Recreational Club.
The tournament, which is the 40th edition, is the most prestigious event as it is expected to host all clubs from around the country.
The clubs contest for various titles under four categories being the singles, pairs, triples and fours. The winner of the men’s’ and women’s singles would earn the right to represent Botswana at the World Champion of Champions competition held under the auspices of the World Bowls scheduled for Queensland in Australia.
National record holders Shirley Baylis of Francistown Club, Raymond Mascarenhas of Orapa Bowls Club are not available for the tournament.
Baylis is the national singles record holder with seven gold medals while the men’s pairs record holder Mascaren has won 10 medals.
Yvonne Richards of Gaborone Club is the all time record holder in the women’s pairs’ category with seven titles.
Gaborone Club, that start as favourites, have won the nationals trophy a record 16 times followed by Francistown with seven titles, Lobatse and Selebi-Phikwe with six titles each while Orapa and Jwaneng won the tournament thrice and twice respectively.
Meanwhile, Jwaneng Bowling Club were crowned AON Bowls Up champions for the first time in five years during a tournament held in Selebi-Phikwe last week.
The Phikwe Club, that had won the tournament a record of three times in a row, emerged the runners-up.
The Desert Rats of Jwaneng scooped P5,000 first prize after amassing 46 points from seven rounds of this multi-disciplinary bowling tournament.
Phikwe Club went away with P3,000 after accumulating 42 points from seven rounds. Orapa Rhinos secured the third prize of P1 500. AON Risk Management sponsored the tournament to the tune of P50,000.
Gaborutwe said that the company has reaffirmed its commitment to work with Bowls Botswana to develop the second bowling green ground in Selebi-Phikwe.
He said this would see growth in both the bowls game and sports tourism and added that the second green would allow Botswana to host international bowls competitions in the future.