14 Sep 2017

Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) chief executive officer, Falcon Sedimo has said developing an athlete required contribution and support  from different stakeholders.

Speaking at a panel discussion organised by University of Botswana, department of Physical Education, Health and  Recreation under the topic: Preparing Elite Athletes for a Podium Finish: A Conversation with Experts, Sedimo said BNSC did their part and  it was left for parents and government to play their part.

He said during the development process, when the athlete graduated at tertiary level, they expected athlete to reach excellence and that was when Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) took over to accredit athletes at international competitions such as Commonwealth and Olympic Games.

“There is a very fine-line as to where we handover as BNSC. It goes without saying that there become inherent issues of  duplication but I guess by now we have learnt to leave with them,” he said.

For his part, BNOC chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho said his organisation dealt with elite athletes, adding they trained athletes towards competitions at major events. He however said during the development of an athlete, there was a system and a process in place that included development of coaches, administrators, and sport science and medicine practitioners.

He said it had been proven that in order for talented athletes to reach their true potential, they needed to be supported by a system that comprised top or high level coaches, administrator, sport scientists and medicine practitioners.

400 metres athlete Isaac Makwala said as athletes, they face da lot of challenges in their quest of ascending the podium.

“We call ourselves professional athletes, but we are not compared to USA and South African athletes. For example, I am training in Botswana, coached by Justice Dipeba.Now the challenge here is that my coach has a full time job elsewhere and he is not only focusing in athletics,” he said.

Furthermore, Makwala said during his international competitions like Diamond League his coach remained back home and he had to fend for himself without his coach for about three months, forcing his gaffer to coach him through Facebook or WhatsApp, something which he said was not fully effective.Ends