14 Nov 2014

President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama says, over the past year, Batswana have been delighted with the increased success of athletes in various international completions, including the second Africa Youth Games that held in Gaborone with nearly 2 000 athletes from 53 countries competing.

Giving the State-of-the-Nation Address during the first session of the 11th parliament, President Khama said Botswana was represented by 198 athletes from various sport codes, who together won a total 31 gold, silver and bronze medals.

He said their success was followed up with two more silver medals at the Nanjing Youth Olympics. “Let me further say that we are equally proud and thankful to all the organisers and volunteers who made the Gaborone games such an overall success,” he said.

He said this past year, again Batswana were further delighted by the performance of senior athletes at the Commonwealth Games and African Senior Championships, adding at the latter event Botswana emerged in fourth overall position, with six medals including four gold medals.

President Khama said while this was truly a year that Nigel Amos and Isaac Makwala consolidated their status as global sport stars, there are many others also worthy of mention, as the number of Batswana who are successfully competing on the international stage has been steadily growing.

He said looking to the future government was working towards further growing these numbers by implementing different sport development initiative, adding the constituency sport tournaments continue to be popular.

He said participation rates have grown from over 28,000 at inception in late 2008 to over 67,000 as of June 2014. President Khama said there is an encouraging trend of players graduating from the tournaments to the mainstream teams, as well as some teams rising to affiliate to formal football structures. ENDS