24 Apr 2018

Botswana athletics team which raised the country’s flag high at the just ended Commonwealth Games continues to receive appreciation from different stake holders.

First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) and Choppies on April 23, appreciated the athletes for their sterling performances and gave gold winners Amantle Montsho, and Isaac Makwala P20 000 each while the men’s relay team made of Makwala, Onkabetse Nkobolo, Baboloki Thebe and Leaname Maotoanong also received  P20 000 each for winning a gold medal. 

Thebe who won a silver medal in the 400 metres received  P15 000, and women relay quartet made up of Montsho, Loungo Matlhaku, and Christene Botlogetswe was given P10 000 each for winning a bronze medal, with the coaches being rewarded with P5 000 each.

Speaking at the medalists’ appreciation breakfast, Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development Thapelo Olopeng, thanked the two organisations for the gesture.

“This is the kind of relationship I want to have with the private sector. You will remember that when I came into the ministry, I encouraged the private sector to come on board and partner with us and sponsor sport,” he said. 

He said he was happy with the response from the private sector adding that the gesture was encouraging.

 FNBB chief executive officer Steven Bogatsu said Team Botswana deserved to be celebrated because they had made the country proud in the event making history as they were the first country in the Commonwealth Games to claim double, winning two gold in 400 metres women and men.

He said at FNBB, they recognised that youth made a difference in the economy of the country, adding that gone were the days when sport was seen as a hobby.

“Sport is an important career and it is important for us to continue to invest in our athlete. Let us invest in their talent,” he said.

Bogatsu further said his bank recently launched Youth in Business value preposition that supported athletes to manage their finances by utilising the right transactional, investment accounts, insurance and lending products.   

Choppies raised the bar by awarding gold medalist P50 000, the men’s relay team P100 000, while the silver medalist was given P25 000 and the women’s relay team received P60 000.

Choppies CEO Ramachandran Ottapathu also applauded the athletes for hoisting the country’s flag high at the Commonwealth Games.  “You have done wonders and we are proud of you because you won gold medals for the country and I wish you could continue until we win gold medal at the Olympic Games,” he said. ENDS