27 Aug 2013

With only nine months remaining before start of the Africa Youth Games (AYG), different sporting codes are working round the clock to devise programmes that would ensure Botswana's success.

Botswana was awarded the bid to host the continental showpiece in March this year and the games, scheduled for May 22-31, would attract about 4000 junior athletes from 54 African countries participating in more than 14 sporting codes.

Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) has already selected an AYG bound team following recent local as well as international competitions. BAA sports development officer, Gable Garenamotse said in an interview that the prospective team will be beefed up in due course.

“We have selected athletes who have been doing well in competitions and for athletics we pick only under 17s,” Garenamotse said. He added that since the athletics season was over, they would hold a month training camp for the team from November 20, during which they will participate in the first track and field event as well as another one on December 21.

He was also hopeful that they will have a solid team by February next year which will compete in the national championships billed for March ahead of the youth games.

The association, he said was also working hand in hand with Botswana Integrated Sports Association (BISA) given that it had athletes, who were eligible to compete in the AYG.  Thus, he said they will strategically hold the camp after examinations so that they would not interfere with the children’s studies.

Garenamotse further highlighted that Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) had allocated them US$22 000 (P154 000) for preparations.

Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) on one hand had successfully held the first camp for the junior team last month in Takatokwane where 21 boxers from across the country participated.

The boxing association SDO, Khumiso Ikgopoleng said they managed to select a team to be finalised in December because some divisions comprised two boxers.  Ikgopoleng indicated that they will select boxers with basic skills and also “boxers who are good in defence and can punch because we are left with less than a year before the youth games.”

Again, he said most boxers possessed skills which required polishing owing to their participation in interclub tournaments. Furthermore, he said they had also been promised funding from the BNOC for their preparations while two of their boxers were currently under the Olympic Solidarity funding in preparation for the 2014 Nanjing Games.

The association, he added was in the process of securing international friendly tournaments to expose young pugilists further.  

Ezekiel Seru, Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) secretary said they had also devised a programme to be handed to the games local organising committee for approval. Seru, however, indicated that pending the LOC approval, the karate association was looking into building a solid team by September 14 which he said will be tested at the Commonwealth Karate games in Canada.

Again in their plans, he said were two local camps in December during school vacations.

Their hope wasalso to host an invitation tournament in March next year which he argued would help them assess the strengths and weaknesses of the selected team. The association will also have a final camp in April, just a month before the games commence intended to refine the young karatekas. ENDS