19 Jun 2018

Botswana men’s and ladies table tennis double teams fell out in the final of the ongoing 19th Confederation of Universities and Colleges Sport Association (CUCSA) Games on June 19.

Botswana earlier defeated Zimbabwe in both the quarter-finals and the top four teams progressed to the final, but the South African teams were too strong to handle.

The Botswana ladies team of Oratile Kedisaletse and Emma Lelatisitswe and the men’s pair of Boago Malobela and Bakang Maloka could not stop the South African team of Sarah Gobindlall and Lerato Sikele in the women category while Lunga Vakile and Gauteng Central sensation Terrance Mathole played in the men’s doubles.

Before the two matches, the Botswana team had a score to settle with their South African opponents who had beaten them at the regional open championships in Bloemfontein and Cape Town and the recent Zone VI tournament.

Gobindlall also claimed Kedisaletse’s skull in the Johannesburg ladies singles match in January.

It was all daggers out and the Botswana team fought back from an embarrassing 0-3 score to settle for a draw going into the fifth set until indecisiveness cost them a 2-4 loss.

The men were beaten 1-4 and settled for the silver medal.

However, Botswana had a consolation victory on Monday when they won the women’s team matches through Lelatisitswe and Kedisaletse whose individual performances was better than Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa respectively.

Moatlhodi Bakwadi joined Malobela and Maloka for the men’s team event and they settled for the second spot ahead of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The four countries were the only teams represented at the table tennis matches from nine countries which are currently taking part in CUCSA games. ENDS