17 Feb 2019

-  Coaches of the Botswana  junior karate team face a selection headache as they seek to assemble a formidable team for future national team assignments.

This comes after the karatekas started the Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) national team selection championship on a high gear at simultaneous tournaments hosted by the association in Gaborone and Palapye over the weekend.

In Palapye, young karatekas filled the BIUST multipurpose hall to impress the national team scouts while in Gaborone energised karatekas filled the Molapo hall to try their luck in the closely contested tournament.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Gaborone tournament, BOKA publicity secretary Isaiah Ramontshonyana said the criteria used to come up with the best of the best was the elimination process for the junior teams.

He said the top four karatekas from each region would be called for a final selection tournament that would take place in Gaborone. National team coaches will then start the process of selecting the final team to fill up the slots available.

He said the two tournaments come in handy as the association was preparing a team for the Region 5 tournament to be played in Namibia in May.

Hot on the heels of the zonal championships, Botswana is expected to host this year’s Africa Cup under the auspices of the Africa Karate Union (UFAK). Local karatekas took part in the tournament last year in Kigali, Rwanda.

On Saturday in Gaborone, the tournament which started in the early hours deep into the night produced some surprise victories.

Interesting youngster Gabriel Seleke scooped first position in the boys’ individual kata ahead of Prince Ngwako who settled for the second spot beating Kao Nsala and Lefika Mooketsi. Seleke’s teammate at the SSKB karate club Kgomotso Sefatlho was equally impressive in the girls’ individual kata beating Magadi Ramaditse and Angela Gabalese.

A tight affair was witnessed in the boys 14-15 years kata where Martin Motseke continued his impressive form beating his traditional rivals Ronald Kaote and Lefika Moalosi to the first spot.

Meanwhile, BOKA has announced its new technical staff. Veteran karateka Christopher Ponatshego has been roped in to take charge of the senior national team assisted by former senior team coach Peter Molefhe and Keone Kgorotlhe.

 Sensei George Tshikare is in charge of the junior team assisted by former kumite champion Moses Jones while sensei Otto Tafa will assist as the caretaker coach of both the senior and junior teams.

 Botswana has been impressive in regional tournament edging out favourites South Africa and other countries such as Zimbabwe where the sport is growing in leaps and bounds.

The last edition hosted in Gaborone, Botswana came out tops followed by South Africa. ENDS