30 Jan 2023

Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) has since the beginning of the year been engaging district authorities on the impending return of Botswana Games.

BNSC announced earlier this month that a modified version of the Botswana Games would be held this year. The last games were held in 2019.

The BNSC chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho, said consultations were meant to inform the district authorities on the impending return of the games, changes that had been effected as well as securing the support of the authorities.

One of the key changes to the Botswana Games, he said, was that there would be three stages.

The first one would be intra-zonal competitions in each of the 16 districts, followed by inter-zonal competitions and ultimately the national competitions that will feature four district blocks, he said.

Furthermore, he explained that another key change was that progression through the stages would no longer be based on team performance.

He said it would be based on individual skill, performance and commitment to allow the process to yield the very best performers this year in each sport discipline.

The age bracket, he said, had also changed as there would now be competitions for Under 15 and up to under 19.

Serufho said for the Under 15s, competitions would only go up to district level while the upper age limit for the over 16s would vary from sport to sport.

He said so far, the commission had engagements with Kweneng, North East, Francistown, Selebi Phikwe, Ghanzi and Southern districts and had been well received.

“It is evident that it has not only been us in sport who have been yearning for the return of sport activities that involve school going athletes, especially those in public schools. No doubt spot contributes significantly to the holistic development of our young people, hence the enthusiasm,” he said.

Meanwhile it is expected that stage one of the competition will be held during term one, stage two during term two and stage three during term three of 2023 school calendar.

Serufho said the competition would involve pupils in public and private schools as well as out of school youth, who fall within the age categories. ENDS