17 Oct 2018

Countdown to the Region 5 Youth Games Gaborone 2018 reaches 50-days-to-go milestone today (October 18). 

The country will from December 7-16, host athletes from 10 Africa Union Sport Council Region 5 member states, which include Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe, while Tanzania, which is not a member, will also participate. 

Sporting codes such as  basketball, boxing, netball, volleyball, athletics, including athletics for the blind, football, judo, swimming and tennis will feature during the Games.

The Games general manager, Steve Bothasitse said in an interview that as part of the 50 days countdown, they would visit four different schools namely, Gaborone Secondary School, St Joseph’s College, Lesedi, and Ben Thema primary schools to commemorate the milestone. 

He said the main objective of celebrating 50 days at different schools, was that they wanted the students to have a feel of the Games, given that their age mates would be the ones competing.

Bothasitse said they would also teach the students about the Games symbols, amongst them mascot, and cauldron so that they could be able associate with and own them.

“We have asked all the chef de mission to be present when we mark the 50 days count down because we want to show the country  and the region at large that indeed the 10 countries have confirmed their attendance,” he said.

On Botswana’s readiness to host the Games, he said he was confident that the commitee would deliver memorable Games.

So far, he said the only thing left to be finalised was the University of Botswana swimming pool touch pad, adding that the contractor had promised to have installed them by the end of November.

Furthermore, Bothasitse said the  National Stadium was going to be used for athletics adding that they would have to clean the rubber track.

Already, he said they had trained volunteers, who would be engaged during the Games.

He said volunteers were an important workforce in their effort to deliver a successful event. ENDS