08 May 2022

Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) won big at the 41st Botswana Sports Awards in Gaborone on Saturday.

Outstanding sport male of the year, outstanding team and outstanding coach went to BAA.

Fresh from clocking the World Under 20 record of 9.96 in 100m, Letsile Tebogo walked away with the outstanding sport male of the year award.

He was recognised for representing Botswana with gusto, having won a gold medal in 100 metres and silver in 200m at the World Junior Championships in Kenya last year.

The 4x400 men’s relay made up of Isaac Makwala, Leungo Scotch, Zibani Ngozi, Anthony Pesela, Baboloki Thebe and Bayapo Ndori won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games held in Tokyo last year.

Therefore, it was not a surprise  when they scooped outstanding team of the year award.

The 400m runners; Anthony Pesela and Amantle Montsho won ministers award, with the latter also bagging WASBO award.

Botswana athletics head coach, Justice Dipeba, won the outstanding coach of the year.

In other categories, Naledi Marape of chess won the outstanding female athlete of the year.  Edwin Masuge and Gloria Majaga of Paralympics Association of Botswana (PASSOBO) both won outstanding female and male with ability awards.

Gaone Poane of tennis scoped the umpire of the year award while Botswana Tertiary Student Sport Association was recognised for being the most resilient sport association of the year.

The sponsor of the year award went to Debswana while other minister awards went to the late Andrew Mokoto of softball and Lucara Botswana.

Jwaneng Galaxy were voted in large numbers to win the team of the year.

In the media category, Baleseng Batlotleng of Information Services won the Print Journalist of the year, while Tumelo Tafila of Botswana Television won the electronic journalist of the year.

The minister of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, Tumiso Rakgare said at the event that Botswana intended to bid to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Namibia.

“We will be banking on your support to ensure that Botswana and Namibia present a compelling bid. What a big moment in our history it will be for our two small nations to deliver a continental sport showpiece,” he added. ENDS