01 Apr 2026

Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) is targeting seven medal at the coming Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. 

The games will be held from July 23 to August 2 and Team Botswana will compete Athletics, Boxing Judo, Lawn Bowling, Weightlifting, and Swimming. The targeted seven medals comprises two Gold, two Silver and three Bronze.

Botswana has also assembled a youth team that will represent the country at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games slated for October 31 to November 13. The team will compete in Athletics, Boxing, Judo, and Swimming.

Addressing a press conference, BNOC president, Tshepo Sitale said the Commonwealth Games bound team would be led by Tebogo Ntesang, while Master Luza would lead the Youth Olympics as Chef De Mission

Sitale said the two were chosen on merit, following a rigorous interview process.

BNOC chief executive officer, Dorothy Tlagae-Gaseitsiwe said the BNOC had submitted a proposed budget of over P16.5 million to Ministry of Sport and Arts toward preparations and participation in the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

She said the committee had so far received over P2.6 million.

“Follow-ups have been made, and the BNOC is currently awaiting feedback from the Ministry. The commonwealth sports also contributed supported preparations with a grant of P751, 000 which was used in the preparations,” she said.

Tlagae-Gaseitsiwe said part of the grant would go toward funding the Weightlifting team for their qualification events in Samoa on April 25 and Egypt on May 10 to 17.

She added that the plan was to organise training camp during the school holidays. Tlagae-Gaseitsiwe said the grant would also cater for athletes who would be participating at the Sepeng Invitational Challenge on April 5 to 8, and local training camp form June 22 to July 03.

Tlagae-Gaseitsiwe said the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 would also act as an important preparation event for the games.

Additionally, she said boxing was also assisted in preparing to participate at the U19 World Fixtures Cup in Bangkok, Thailand.

She added that Judo team recently participated in the Dakar African Open Judo Championships, while Bowling would have local training camps as well as being part of the Nest Training Clinic Indoor green in Pretoria, South Africa. ENDS