The Botswana Under- 19 and Under-15 table tennis teams have brought home four medals from the 4th Annual Sports Event Table Tennis Tournament that was held from the 04–05 April 2026 in South Africa, organised by the South African Table Tennis Board.
Botswana’s boys’ team was made up of Reneilwe Lekorwe (13 years), Tinashe Dzvaka (13 years), Agobakwe Sebetlela (11 years), Thato Kgongwana (16 years) and Tebogo Kotopo (17 years). The girls’ team consisted of Boitlamo Nkele (13 years), Carol David (12 years), Stephanie Batsholeng (10 years), Masa Motlhabane (13 years) and Jwame Mojuta (10 years).
The team also included senior women table tennis player Tshepiso Rebatenne who was granted permission participate in the competition on personal accord.
The teams were under the tutelage of Emma Lelatisitswe, Brown Sebokolodi, Collen Dzvaka and Godirileone Bagwasi.
Nkele won gold medal in the Under-15 category while Batsholeng clinched a silver medal in Under-15. In the Under-19 division David won bronze, while Batsholeng won another bronze in Under-19 division.
According to Botswana Table Tennis Association Public Relations Officer, Tshegofatso Malepa, the results highlight Botswana’s growing strength in junior table tennis and a successful outing on the international stage. Malepa stated that Batsholeng’s consistency and impact across categories earned her the title of Overall Player of the Tournament, capping off a remarkable showing.
“The successful campaign reflects the steady growth of table tennis in Botswana, with the association continuing to make strides in developing young talent and gaining valuable international exposure,” she said.
Malepa said that during the competition, in the group stages, only players finishing position one and two qualified for the main draw, and Botswana managed to secure multiple progression spots across different age categories.
She stated that standout performers included Lekorwe, who topped both the Under-15 and Under-19 groups and finished second in the senior category, while Nkele claimed top spot in Under-15 and progressed in both Under-19 and senior divisions. She revealed that David also impressed finishing first in Under-19 and advancing in the senior category.
Malepa highlighted that Batsholeng showed consistency by progressing in all three categories, including a first-place finish in Under-19, while Motlhabane advanced in both Under-15 and Under-19.
“Other players such as Dzvaka and Sebetlela secured progression spots in the Under-15 category, while some of the squad, including Kgongwana, Kotopo, and Mojuta, were unable to progress beyond the group stages,” she said.
She said that in the doubles, the pair of David and Nkele made a strong start, winning their opening match 3–1.
Malepa stated Lekorwe bowed out in the Under-15 quarterfinals, while David exited at the Under-19 semifinals and the senior quarterfinals. She revealed that Nkele fell short in the Under-19 quarterfinals but gained momentum in the Under-15 category, setting up a highly anticipated clash against Batsholeng, who qualified for the Under-15 final after losing in the Under-19 semifinals.
“In the Women’s senior category, Nkele, David, and Rebatenne were all eliminated in the quarterfinals,” she revealed.
