21 Dec 2016

Team Botswana returned home from Angola with 35 medals, finishing in position two after South Africa.

Botswana competed in the Africa Union Sports Commission (AUSC) Region 5 Games and a total of 61 athletes from Botswana competed in different sporting codes: athletics, netball, boxing and swimming.

Botswana accumulated 17 gold, 11 silver  and seven bronze medals.

Speaking at the team’s welcome ceremony, youth empowerment, sport and culture development deputy permanent secretary, Peter Mongwaketse said the team represented the country well.

He said Botswana’s participation at the games was an undertaking that they cherished as a biennial mission to strength regional ties as a member state of the region of Southern Africa known as the African Union Sports Council Region 5.

Mongwaketse further said the athletes’ conduct and spirit of good sportsmanship displayed both inside and outside the playing fields was noteworthy.

“I am happy to note that you have represented us well by bringing a record number of medals home, as a symbol of good sporting performance and a good report on your conduct as a symbol of a well-groomed society, “he said.

Furthermore, he said, Team Botswana’s good performance was a feedback that gave them motivation a to continue to invest resources into sport development and athletes’ development as growing citizens of this country.

“It is opportunities like these games that are offered to you as individuals and members of various teams to demonstrate your true potential as future sportsmen and sportswomen of repute and as true Ambassadors of our country,” he said.

For his part, the team’s Chef De Mission, Gable Garenamotse said the team had done well, given that it was the smallest team in number ever sent to AUSC Region 5 Games, but managed to bring back a record number of medals.

“The team that I was given to lead, it was indeed a team, ours was to go and compete and the focus was not going to be obstructed by anything, and we managed, “he said. ENDS