Over the last weekend, Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) opened the 2023 season with the Lefika Savings tournament. Despite finishing in the top eight during the Lefika Savings tournament, the trio of William Olyn, Salome Matlhatsi and Kaone Thomas will not be part of the national team selections this weekend.
Diteemane, as the national table tennis team is affectionately called, will host the first national team selection tournament at the BNYC Hall tomorrow. Diteemane is preparing for the ITTF South Region World Championship qualifiers to be held in Gaborone in June. Bofelo Mokgweetsi has since replaced Olyn who finished as a semi-finalist over the weekend.
Hetweg Chisenga and Tsholofelo Gaokgalemelwe will replace Matlhatsi and Thomas, respectively. Speaking to Mmegi Sport this week, BTTA public relations officer, Tshegofatso Malepa said despite withdrawals, the selection tournament will proceed as planned. She sighted travel and financial constraints as the reason for the withdrawals.
"Some of our athletes that have withdrawn do not stay in Gaborone. So they just came for the tournament and it is now challenging for them financially to return (for selection). It is not like their withdrawals have affected the team that much because we are going to have another selection, so we have not been affected that much because they still have another chance," Malepa said. She further said the BTTA would have another selection tournament before the World Championship qualifiers.
BTTA won the ITTF South Region World qualifiers hosting rights late last year. The qualifiers are to be played from June 29 to July 2 at the Botho University. Malepa said just three months before the start of the tournament, the qualifiers have not yet received entrants but the BTTA remains positive the competition will attract participants.
"So far, I cannot tell you how many counties have confirmed participation. The teams have just started their national team selections. Most countries have been in the off-season so as time goes on we will reveal how many countries have confirmed their participation," she said. Meanwhile, the BTTA will conclude the qualifiers' logistics by the end of this month as they await input from relevant stakeholders. "As of now, we have not sat down to do the financial forecast but we are hopeful that before the end of this month, we would have a budget and we would have met the relevant stakeholders who are helping us host the ITTF South Region World qualifiers," she said.
For tomorrow's national team selection tournament, four places are up for grabs for each gender category. The men's category has current number one, Bakang Maloka, Kola Modisaotsile, Boago Malobela, Masa Lesole, Thobo Matlhatsi, Thapelo Molefhi, Kealeboga Gosenyamanga, and Mokgweetsi. Top-ranked, Tshepiso Rebatenne has forfeited her place in the selections.
Game Kebodiwang, Constance Kuswani, Olorato Ramagapu, Tshotlhe Mogolegwa, Annah Dick, Lenah Setlhora Chisenga, and Gaokgalemelwe make up the talented women's paddlers' list.
