BOTESSA expects the athletics team to bring home a minimum of two medals. Last week Friday, BOTESSA held a sending off ceremony for the athletics team that is expected to represent Botswana at an international stage at the FISU games.
FISU games are known as the World University Games. The games comprise 18 different sporting codes with Botswana only sending the athletics team. Meanwhile the team is only made of 10 athletes; five females and five males from different institutions across the country. During the sending off ceremony, team captain Frecky Tshotego from New Era revealed that BOTESSA is not demanding too much from them. “We have been given a task to bring two or more medals from the games and we believe that this is something achievable,” Tshotego expressed.
Tshotego stated that though they have been given a target of two medals, they will not narrow themselves down to only two medals. “We are not going there for competitions alone, but I assure you all that we can make something out of this trip. We can go there and get scholarships to study abroad and even get sponsors,” said Tshotego. Though the team has been given a target of two medals in China, coach Phenyo Semumu holds utmost belief that they are capable of three gold medals more than what BOTESSA is asking from them. “I have been in camp with this team for like eight or nine games and I know that this team can do something great at the FISU games. Right now, there are three athletes that I can put my money on to bring three gold medals. We have Tshephang Manyika, Thuto Masasa and the 4X1 relay team,” he boldly said.
However, he highlighted that the target is from him and him alone as he does not want to put much pressure on his team. Commenting on the readiness of his team, Semumu said that the team is in a good shape. “They are in a good position looking at the fact that some of them are from the national team. Very sharp and some of them are in the lifetime shape of their life,” Semumu said. Additionally, he echoed that the team has been in the right state of the mind during the camp and he hopes that they can carry it to China.
The Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tuelo Serufho urged the athletes to continue selling Botswana to the world and never forget where they come from. “I want you to go out there and do your best. Botswana is known these days and we are known for ‘Botho’ and athletics so do your best,” he said.
The 10 athletes are as follows: Thuto Masasa 100m New Era College Boitshepo Moloi 100m, 4x1 Ba Isago Tshepang Manyika 100m, 200m, 4x1 Boitekanelo College Phenyo Majama 200m University of Botswana (UB) Frecky Tshotego 400m hurdles New Era College Lone Madzimole 4x1 Botswana Accoountancy College (BAC) Golekane Chikane 400m Gaborone University College Motlatsi Ranthe 400m, 4x1 UB Tebogo Moepeng Long Jump Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) Itumeleng James 800m Serowe Brigade
