26 Apr 2018

Botswana youth athletics team left April 26 for South Africa where they will compete in the  Confederation of Athletics Association (CAA) Southern Region U-18 Youth and U-20 Junior Championships slated for today and Saturday.

Botswana Athletics Association vice president, Kenneth Kikwe said they had sent a strong team that would qualify for the 2018 World U-20 Championships to be held in Tampere, Finland in July.

He said they had four athletes who have already qualified, amongst them 800 metres runner, Tshepiso Masalela and 400 metres runners, Onneile Phokedi, Bernard Olesitse and Ditiro Nzamani, adding that their goal was to help many more athletes to qualify.

“We are hopeful that other athletes like Tlhompang Basele, Refilwe Murangi will qualify, and the only problem that we have is on the women category because last year they failed to qualify for the Africa Juniors.This time we have engaged the coaches that they should try their best to ensure that they qualify so that we can also have their relay at the World Juniors,” he said.

Talking about the youth category, Kikwe said they had a busy schedule because they would compete at the Confederation of School Sports Association in Southern Africa (COSSASA) competitions that would be hosted by Botswana, .

Kikwe said most of them were in camp and that they had selected athletes who were not selected for the COSSASA Games in order to give them exposure and motivate them. He noted that they could not use athletes who were currently in camp as that would violate IAAF rules. He also added that they were still young and that over loading them had the potential to burn them out.

Eleven countries will be represented at the regional age group championships including Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, Mauritius, Zambia, Namibia, Swaziland, Mozambique, Seychelles and Zimbabwe

Team Botswana:
Women

Refilwe Murangi, Rose Senane (100m and 200m) Tlhomphang Basele, Naledi Lopang (400m) Taolo Serwaledi (400 m hurdles) Motlatsi Rante, Oratile Nowe, Laone Moloi (800m and 1 500 m) Atlang Semane (5 000m) Masego Seloke, Gaetshwane Goitseone (long and triple jump) Tumelo Daniel (javelin) Sarah Nowa (shot put)

Men
Thuto    Masasa, Thuso Macahara, Boyce Mogapi (100 m), Phokedi, (200 and 400) Phodiso Rampa (200m) Nzamani, Lee  Eppie (400m) Mooketsi Montshiwa (400m hurdles), Mooketsi Montshiwa, Tlotlo Mahempe (110m hurdles) Masalela, Mogorosi Setlhabi, Thabo Modise (800m) Karabo    Teko,  Kelvin Mokgabung (1 500m) Thobo Letsholo, Amogelang Gaodumele (5 000m) Norman Chibane, Tshireletso Phushudi (long jump) Aobakwe Nkobela, Logic Motshwaedi (high jump) Norman Chibane, Eagile Ntsimanyana( triple jump) Samunzala Oabile (discuss)Morowero Rafaero (lavelin). Ends