15 Mar 2016

Botswana Brigade Sports Association (BOBSA), public relations officer, Ofentse Modise, says they are moving steadily towards achieving their objective of searching for and identifying new talent in athletics.

In an interview during the BOBSA national athletics competition at Lobatse recently, Modise said BOBSA competitions were a platform for nurturing young talent.

He said most of their students did not do well in their academics at Junior Certificate and BGCSE examinations, but showed  potential in extracurricular activities hence working around the clock to promote sports in vocational training centres.

“Prior to 1996, BOBSA formed part of premier league, a union that was made up of brigades and junior secondary schools”, he said.

Despite being formed in 1996, he said they still lacked sponsorships to take sports to another level and only relied on Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) grant.

Modise said the competition was held between all the brigades categorised into four regions of; north, south, south-central and south-south regions.

He called on businesses and other individuals to support them to take sports to greater heights since sport was expensive to manage.

Modise also said, through their competitions, they had produced national icons in the likes of Nigel Amos, Isaac Makwala and OnkabetseNkobolo to name a few.

He said some of their alumni played for national teams under different sporting codes.

Even though, he decried lack of sponsors, he said this year it was different as two companies came to their rescue.

He lauded Vision Sports as they sponsored them with 270 medals, while JB Sports contributed 50 bibs, 10 stop watches and two starting guns.

Furthermore, he said they conducted their athletics in line with IAAF standards as a way of preparing their athletes for in case they get the chance to compete in international games.

Moreover, he said brigades’ officials were also engaged on officiating trainings to match the IAAF standards albeit only few managed to undergo that training.

During the competitions in long jump Junior ladies category, Ngethu brigade, Chevula Detekuma became victorious after she beat her opponents with a record of 23.90m and scooped a gold medal while Boteti Gababonale Osegofetse came second and walked away with a silver medal with a record of 23.74m and Onkgomotse Setlhare form Barolong VTC came third with a record of 32.90m and walked home with a bronze medal.

In the junior men category, Michael Phoro from Nswazi brigade snatched gold after he beat his opponents with a record of 5.92m, while his runner up from Marobela brigade, Edwin Kayo recorded 5.58m and won himself a silver medal and Ishmael Dabutha scooped the bronze medal after he recorded 5.54m and walked away with a bronze.

In long jump for senior ladies category, Tswelelopele sprinter, Brilliant Jonas recorded 4.61m and got the gold medal, followed by Nswazi lass Chawanda Zhiro who recorded 4.51m and lastly Kegomoditswe Bakgane from Barolong VTC who took the bronze medal.

The javelin junior ladies category, Gape Lefitile from Marobela brigade snatched the gold medal after she shattered Magwizi Ntombizodwa who got silver medal from Nkange brigade and Mosupi Khiwa from Senyawe brigade who settled for bronze.

As for javelin junior men category, Nthoyapelo Frank from Senyawe brigade got silver medal followed by Didimalang Abram from Moshupa brigade and Thabiso Thomas from Madiba.

In senior ladies javelin category, Bongani Mbulawa from Kanye brigade scooped the gold while Kesolofetse from Tlokweng brigade scooped silver medal and Ntshabeng Letshikgware from Barolong Vocational Trainning Centre scooped the bronze medal.

Meanwhile, David Nthusitswe from Nswazwi brogade scooped the gold medal in javelin senior men category and Thabiso Final from Nkange and Omphemetse from Machaneng brigade trailed behind with silver and bronze respectively.

Other activities of the day included, Discus, relays, 100m race and high jump. Ends