02 Jun 2015

Botswana Darts Association (BODA) selected a youth national team at a tournament in Tati Siding on Saturday (May 30) and Sunday (May 31).

BODA youth coordinator, Machena Robert said in an interview that they used the tournament to select teams for Under 13-15 and Under 16-18 years, both for boys and girls. Robert said the tournament attracted 85 players, being 48 boys and 37 girls and 11 schools turned up for the tournament.

The seven junior schools were Tlhalogang, Tashatha, Montsamaisa, Tonota, Denjebuya, Selepa and Mmathethe and four senior schools, namely Shashe River, Lotsane, Francistown and Matshekge.

Robert said they have selected 24 athletes. The 13-15 category of boys team is made up of Ronald Mfila from Tashatha, Thatayotlhe Robert from Tonota, Lesang Morebodi from Tashatha, Allen Pansiri from Tashatha, Tumo Kachana from Tashatha and Laone Mandevu from Tlhalogang.

She said girls in the same category are Dimpho Leso from Tonota, Same Mokgathi from Tashatha, Nametso Dialwa from Denjebuya, Patricia Jacob from Tlhalogang, Sharon Kebobone from Tashatha and Samantha January from Selepa.

Ms Robert said in the category of 16-18, they had selected Alfred Maikano from Shashe River, Shawn Tumelo from Tashatha, Tebogo Monnapula from Tashatha, Jonathan January from FSS, Jerry Halahala from Shashe and Marius Poloka from Chobe for boys.

For girls, they have selected Oabile Lebogang from Lotsane, Katlego Robert from Shashe River, Tshepo Balang from FSS, Onneile Puso from Tashatha, Kedinnetse Dipateletso from Tashatha and Gaone Gababoloke from Lotsane.

Robert said each category will be represented by four athletes and two reserves, with the latter to be included if the funds permit. She said the selected team will represent Botswana at the Zone VI Youth Darts Championship 2015 games to be held in Windhoek, Namibia from August 21-29.

Robert said eight countries, namely Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Swaziland are expected to participate in the tournament.

She said the tournament was introduced in 2011 and Botswana hosted it from 31 August to 3 September in that year and became champions in the 13-15 boys category.

 Robert said their target is to bring gold medals home and also defend the 13-15 years boys’ title. Meanwhile, Robert has said the association has engaged Southern Darts League to help in the introduction of Darts in schools, as most of them were not represented.

She said they have approached BISA to introduce the code in their sports event calendar as well as relevant stakeholders to include darts in Botswana Games. Ends