29 Jan 2018

The head coach of Botswana Table Tennis Team that participated in the just ended Africa Union Sports Commission (AUSC) region five games in Gaborone, Bonolo Mabote has expressed satisfaction at the team’s performance.

Botswana senior teams won four matches out of six in both the men and ladies categories to finish the competition in position three respectively. 

The male youth team finished in position four while the female youth team came fifth. A total of six countries competed at the event which commenced on January 26 and ended on January 28. 

South Africa dominated team events in both the men and ladies category and claimed gold medals with Angola settling for silver medals after finishing in second place. 

The Botswana senior teams got bronze medals.

“I wouldn’t say I am happy with the results in the sense that we targeted something better than this.  But performance-wise, in terms of competing, I think the players did compete to their level best. They did what they could do in their powers,” Mabote said in an interview.

He observed that South Africa and Angola were more consistent in their play and more experienced than the local teams. 

“The difference between us and the top two teams was consistency off the ball on the board. I think we did not have enough time to practice, and all in all we do not have enough experience. 

We were playing with people that most of them was their first time to compete in games of this magnitude,” he said adding that such engagement has benefited youth teams.

“We did achieve our intentions with the developmental side because the boys’ junior team got position four. They beat Zimbabwe and Namibia. So it was quite an achievement. 

They did exceptionally well and performed beyond expectations. The experience they gained from this competition will work for them,” Mabote said.

Apart from bronze medals in team events, Botswana got silver in the mixed team para category. 

Botswana’s sole gold medal in the competition came through Isaah Onneetse, who defeated South Africa’s Sthabile Mnyandu in the women’s singles para event final. 

Botswana further won silver medal through Lameck Tsimane who lost to Samkelo Notshe of South Africa in the men’s singles para event.

The team however struggled in the singleas and doubles categories, scooping only a silver medal through the women’s double team of Tshepiso Rebatenne and Boitshwarelo Butale. 

The two young ladies lost in the final against Simeen Mookrey and Keshmika Sivnarain of South Africa.  

Tshepiso Rebatenne went furthest in the singles category, reaching the ladies quarterfinals before losing 4-0 against Danisha Patela of South Africa.

South Africa won all the singles and doubles events, except the ladies singles para event. ENDS