17 Aug 2015

Botswana came fourth during the just ended Regional Prison/Correctional Services sport and cultural games played in Mahalapye recently.

The country won one gold medal through the men’s volleyball team. 

First position was scooped by Zimbabwe with 11 gold medals followed by Zambia with four gold medals and Swaziland with three gold medals.

Other positions were scooped by South Africa, Namibia, Malawi, Lesotho and Mozambique respectively. 

The countries were competing in volleyball, football, netball, darts, tug of war and athletics.

During the closing and prize giving ceremony, Botswana Prisons Commissioner, Silas Motlalekgosi said it was a remarkable achievement given that no games were held for the past eight years.

Motlalekgosi said the games were meant to create a platform for regional integration and harmonisation of related and matters of common interest as  intended by the founders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

He noted that the vision of the founders of the sporting and cultural event was to have prison services learning from each other to improve the lives of officers at varying levels.

He said throughout the games, participants did their best and exhibited the spirit of competition and enthusiasm, adding that there was never a dull moment during the games.

He said he was thankful to the athletes for providing exciting moments for all those who witnessed the games, making the tournament a great success.

Motlalekgosi said sport events were meant to provide a platform for athletes to showcase their talents, both as individuals and as a collective.

He said the game’s most critically provided a chance for officers in a common profession to interact more closely in a relaxed atmosphere on matters related to their profession.

He explained that in such an atmosphere, participants were able to exchange ideas on a variety of issues of interest, adding that the goal was not always about winning in the field of play, but realising the common purpose of learning and creating productive relations among participants.

He noted that sport competitions give people happiness which was a vital change in the cycle of routines, as they inspire confidence in both athletes and spectators alike.

“They build stamina and teach us to take victories and defeats in positive strides,” he said. 

Motlalekgosi congratulated those who emerged winners in various disciplines and challenged them to retain their trophies and medals in the next games.

He said this was what builds consistency and that once a foundation for consistency has been laid, it could be extended to other areas where performance was required.

He applauded those who lost and appealed to them to go back and work smart as there was always room for improvement.

He also applauded the organising committee and participating countries for a job well done, adding that the games should not fade out and must be held every two years as resolved.

For his part, Malawi Commissioner, Kennedy Nkhoma applauded participants, especially the hosts for going the extra mile in making sure that they were confortable and enjoyed their stay in the country. ENDS