30 Mar 2026

Tennis star Tennis star Omphile Bothasitse and Oratile Nowe of athletics were standout winners at the 4th Annual Vunani Botswana Women Sports Awards after being crowned Sportswoman of the Year with Disability and Sports Woman of the Year award respectively.

They both walked away with P20,000 each on Friday night.

The ceremony, held to celebrate excellence in women’s sport, also honoured athletes, administrators, officials and media professionals across multiple categories.

In other awards, Same Mohutsiwa received the Young Promising Athlete award. 

Grace Mmolai was named Coach of the Year, earning P10,000 for her outstanding work in developing athletes.

The Female Team Kata in karate was named Team of the Year, taking home P25,000 for their performance and consistency.

In administrative and special recognition categories, Game Mompe was named Administrator of the Year for contributions to cycling, earning P10,000.

Molefhi Obenne received the HeForShe Award alongside P5,000 for promoting gender equality in sport.

Volunteer of the Year went to Gorata Kokole, who also received P5,000, while Gaone Poane was crowned Umpire of the Year, earning P10,000.

The media fraternity was also well represented with Kabelo Dipholo of The Voice Newspaper named Sports Journalist of the Year, while Tiroyaone Keboi of Radio Botswana was recognised in radio and Tshegofatso Malepa of Botswana Television took the television award.

Kennedy Ramokone of Mmegi Newspaper was named Photographer of the Year. All media winners received P5,000 each.

Speaking at the event, Assistant Minister of Health, Lawrence Ookeditse said women’s sport in Botswana continued to grow, with female athletes increasingly proving their ability to compete and excel on global platforms.

He cited international figures such as veteran athlete Amantle Montsho as examples of women who had helped place Botswana firmly on the world-sporting map.

Ookeditse however raised concern over the persistent pay gap between male and female athletes, questioning the fairness of unequal pay despite equal effort and performance.

He called for urgent reflection and action to close the disparity. He commended sports administrators, parents, athletes, and sponsors such as Vunani for their continued support in developing women’s sport, noting that stronger partnerships were key to increasing investment and rewards for athletes.

The assistant minister added that the awards went beyond recognition, serving as a platform for economic empowerment and contributing to the wider creative and service industries involved in sport. 

The chief executive officer of Inside BW Women Sports, Kesego Kebelaele-Okie, also praised stakeholders for their support, noting that the awards, now in their fourth year, continued to elevate the voices and achievements of women in sport.

She said gender inequality remained a challenge and urged corporates to invest more in grassroots programmes for young girls to strengthen future national teams and improve international competitiveness. “The stories of women in sport must continue to be told and celebrated, as they reflect resilience, excellence and determination in the face of challenges,” she said.

The event concluded with a strong call for continued investment, collaboration and inclusivity in sport, as stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to growing women’s sport in Botswana and ensuring greater equality across all levels. ENDS