15 Jul 2026

Cecilia Sebako has carved her name into the history books by becoming the first Motswana woman to attain the elite World Athletics Bronze Level referee certification.

Out of a global cohort of 26 successful candidates, who took part in the rigorous Bronze Level referee examination on May 23, Sebako emerged as one of the two Batswana to achieve the milestone. 

Philander Vilander also made the cut.

Sebako and Vilander were among the 11 graduates from English speaking group, while the remaining 15 graduates hail from French speaking nations.

The historic achievement marks a major breakthrough for gender representation and equity in local sports administration. 

Managed by World Athletics, the Bronze Level certification is a prestigious global standard designed to transition top-tier national technical officials into international roles, qualifying them to serve as Technical Delegates at major global events. 

Reflecting on her landmark achievement, Sebako admitted the journey was demanding but rewarding.

“I am incredibly happy, especially since this was my first time sitting for the Bronze examination,” she said.

Her rise through the officiating ranks is nothing short of remarkable. 

After qualifying as a National Referee in Zimbabwe in 2022, she began officiating the following year.

“My first major milestone was the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in 2023, which was a turning point because that was when referees registered with World Athletics were formally recognised,” she said.

Since then, Sebako has become a versatile fixture in the local athletics scene, officiating across track and field events, marathons, and cross-country races.

Sebako acknowledged that the test was highly challenging, she credited her success to the preparatory webinars hosted by World Athletics, which provided critical guidance.

She added that her study partners from Zimbabwe assisted handsomely.

The Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) Sports Development Manager, Patrick Moesi said Sebako’s accomplishment was a monumental step in advancing sport. 

“As a federation, we are happy because she has broken boundaries as the first woman in Botswana to make the cut,” he said.

Meanwhile, Moesi also said they were equally happy for Vilander, as the second Motswana in the May 23, 2026 cohort to pass the rigorous Bronze test, making him the third man in the country to acquire the certificate.

“With these latest results, Botswana’s officiating credentials have received a significant boost. The country now boasts an elite panel of four Bronze-level referees and one Silver-level referee,” he said.

He was confident that the number of international referees would continue to rise as more local officials enroll in advanced global programmes. Ends