09 Jun 2026

Despite the absence of school sports, Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) and its coaches continue to successfully identify raw talent, and their efforts have culminated in a first-place finish for Botswana out of the 12 countries that participated at the Southern African Confederation of Athletics (SACA) championships held in Mauritius on June 6 and 7.

Botswana raked in 20 medals, consisting of 10 gold, three silver and seven bronze.

Some of the outstanding performances were through Botswana’s rising sprint queen Same Mhutsiwa who won two gold medals in the U20 categories.

She won 100 metres with a time of   11.84 seconds while in 200 metres she stopped the clock in 24.30 seconds.

In the Men’s U20 200m, Junior Phatsima stopped the clock in 20.97 seconds, and won another gold in the 400m with a personal best of 46.31 seconds, winning a double for Botswana,

Other gold medals were won by Ludo Mbekwa in the Women’s U20 Long Jump with a leap of 5.51m, and Game Onneile in the Women’s U18 200m, recording 25.65 seconds.

Reiniours Geza won the Men’s U18 400m with a time of 49.11 seconds, while Bokang Isang won in the U18 category with a time of   21.14 seconds.

The Mixed 4x100m Relay team, made up of Wazha Matakule, Oarabile Hines, Jack Newman, and Mhutsiwa, won with a time of 45.24 seconds.

The Men’s U20 4x100m comprising Phatsima, Newman, Lucky Chivero, and Matakule won with 41.66 seconds.

Silver medals were delivered by Jayden Mathambo in the Men’s U20 110m Hurdles with a time of 14:75 and by Lebogang Mugagu in the Men’s U20 1500m, who clocked 4:03.59.

The U20 Mixed 4x400m Relay team comprising Wedu Matiwe, Tsaone Dintwa, Hines, and Warona Mokgosi won with a time of 3:40.91.

Bronze medals were won by Mathambo in the Men’s U20 400m Hurdles after clocking 55:59 seconds, Mugagu clocked 1:56.55 in the Men’s U20 800m, whereas Agang Magang recorded 1.95m in the Men’s U20 High Jump.

Bokang Isang won in the Men’s U18 100m with 10.84 seconds and in the Women’s U18 100m Game Onneile also won bronze. Dintwa won the 400m with a personal best of 48.18 while Matakule won in the Men’s U20 100m with 10.49, also punching a ticket to the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 2026, clocking 10.49.

BAA CEO Mabua Mabua said they were happy with their coaching staff for nurturing talent through open track meets.

He said there was significant improvement in female participation and success, adding that the association’s open-door selection policy ensured every athlete had an equal opportunity to compete and be scouted. ENDS