25 May 2014

The table-tennis Team Botswana lost out on a place in the quarter-finals of the 2014 Africa Youth Games after suffering a series of defeats in the preliminaries and group stages.

The team comprising female Olerato Ramagapu and male player Peo Thebe went as far as top 16 and ended up playing for positions 9 to 16.

In the boys’ group two, Peo went down 1-3 against Bienatiki Christ from Congo and later suffered another humiliating defeat of 3-0 to Zambia’s Hamalambo Choolwe in the evening.

Even at the preliminary stage Peo failed to perform to expectations after suffering a 3-0 loss to Isaac Amoako of Ghana.

On the girls’ side, Olerato suffered defeat to Egyptian star Fagr Shoman in the preliminaries, but managed to come back harder in the second stage by beating Malado Sedibe of Mali 3-1 to qualify for the top 16.

Olerato fought bravely against Bokockou-Lobolo Verra of Congo in the group stages by forcing the game to go into a deciding set before losing 3-2.

She also lost 3-0 to Mauritius’s Chowree Marie Pascale in the evening.

Her main problem, according to the coach Godireleone Bagwasi, was ball control and she could not handle her bracket properly as well as lack of exposure to international tournaments.

Botswana Table-Tennis Association publicity secretary Lelentle Mokhupuki said they were aiming for position 13 looking at the points they have already garnered.

Power house in the finals are now Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, South Africa, Angola , Ghana, Algeria, Madagascar, Ivory Coast and Congo Brazzaville. ENDS