30 Mar 2021

The Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) has targeted two medals from the expected 15 athletes to take part during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Already six athletes have qualified for the Olympics.

Speaking during a media engagement on March 29, Local Organising Committee, chef de mission, Tshepo Sitale said among those who had qualified were four females, being Galefele Moroko, Amantle Montsho, Christine Botlogetswe of athletics and boxer, Keamogetswe Kenosi as well as two males being 800m runner, Nigel Amos and boxer, Rajab Mahomed, who earned a place through the Boxing Task Force Ranking (BTFR).

Sitale noted that Mahomed qualified after cancellation of the World Qualification Final event and he filled the remaining slots based on a ranking system that considered athletes’ performance in the last two years, which ranked him third in Africa and sixth in the world.

He said they were focused on finding the best preparations for the two qualified boxers, adding that the team had been training locally, while an international camp was planned for them to get sparring opportunities with stronger and more challenging opponents. He said the athletics teams had been in Potchefstroom, South Africa, for the past two weeks, where they competed in some invitational meets in efforts to ready them for Tokyo 2020.

Sitale further noted that world relays were another identified opportunity for the 4x400m relay teams, who are currently seating at 11th men and 21st female, to improve their rankings.

He said the relays had chances of being within the top 16 by June 29, further noting that the final opportunity would be the African Championships, to be held at a date yet to be confirmed.

He said Judoka had until June 28 to also improve rankings and qualify, stating that Gavin Mogopa, who previously attained the continental qualification, but lost it due to lack of competition, was scheduled to do the South American circuit starting on April 24, to gather more points.

In swimming, he said one athlete attempting qualification was James Freeman, who recently relocated to the US through a Botswana National Sports Commission elite scholarship and was already looking to improve his times from B to A times to qualify. He said Freeman will have events on April 8-9 at the 2021 TYR Pro Swim series and had until June 27 to qualify.

“Naomi Ruele has been dropped from the team following her request to be excused, after she struggled to train well due to COVID-19,” he said.

For her part, BNOC acting chief executive officer, Wedu Motswetla said preparations had been different as athletes had to quickly adapt to the new normal. ENDS