Six athletes from the Maun BDF Athletics Club are part of the 17 athletes that will make Team Botswana at the Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham, England from July 28th to August 08th.
The six are, Thomphang Basele (400M), Bayapo Ndori (800M), Anthony Pesela (400m), Leungo Scotch (4x400m), Victor Ntweng (400m hurdles) and Keitumetse Maitseo (4x400m).
Maun BDF Athletics Club Coach Meleko Ndolo told Times Sport that the athletes qualified after breaking the set records in the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) series held in Gaborone and Francistown this year, as well as through the different races held in South Africa. He said through their hard work and perseverance they managed to qualify for the games.
Ndolo has indicated that the athletes are currently preparing for the games with the national team coaches. The coach is hopeful that the athletes will improve their times and come back to prepare for the next season.
Other athletes who have qualified for the Commonwealth Games include, Motlatsi Ranthe (4x440m), Christine Botlogetswe (400m), Lydia Jele (400m), Tsaone Sebele(100m), Oarabile Tshosa, Nijel Amos (800m), Boitumelo Masilo (800m), Isaac Makwala (400m), Zibane Ngozi (4x400m),Wayne Monaiwa (Long Jump) and Thalosang Tshireletso (Long jump/triple jump. The team coaches are Kebonyemodisa Mosimanegape and Justice Dipeba while Amogelang Masugae is the Team Manager.
Botswana Athletics team is made up of 17 athletes, two coaches and one team Manager. The junior athletes are not in the team because they will be competing at the world junior championships from August 01st to August 06th, 2022 in Cali, Colombia.
The team is to depart for Cardiff, Wales for their Pre-games training camp on 10th July 2022 before heading to Birmingham for the Games on 26th July 2022. They are to be expected back home right after the Games on 10th August 2022. The send-off ceremony is scheduled to be held tomorrow 09th July 2022 at Avani Hotel, Gaborone.
On the other hand, the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) has announced that Botswana has been accorded thirty-five (35) slots at the Games and have been able to qualify one athlete from Botswana Weightlifting Federation making the total team size thirty-six(36).
The statements further states that team will comprise athletics, boxing, cycling, judo, lawn bowls, squash, swimming and weightlifting.
