Botswana Games preparations on course
Sport
Preparations for the 4th Edition of the Botswana Games, billed for the 4th to 13 of next month at the second city are at an advanced stage, amid doubts that Francistown has the capacity to host an event of such magnitude. The ten day showpiece will be hosted by Francistown for the first time, with the three initial editions having been staged in Gaborone.
According to the games Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chairman, Bobby Gaseitsiwe, everything is on point and they are only awaiting for the first whistle to kick-start the historic experience.
“As custodians of these games, as Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) we did our part as the logistics in terms of accommodation, food, transport and other responsibilities that rest on our shoulders have already been catered for,” Gaseitsiwe confirmed. For lodging, the teams will use Tonota College of Education (TCE), Shashe Senior (Tonota), Tagala Primary, I.H.S, Mater Spei and Francistown College of Vocational Education (FCTVE) just to mention but these. With the air now cleared, the doubting Thomases have been fed a humble pie as these are enough to show them the games will go on smoothly just like in Gaborone.
Like it has now become a norm that whenever any big event is hosted, personnel is needed, the volunteer movement, Sports Volunteer Movement (SVM) is also on course and ready to help at the games. ‘’We have confirmed with them and the volunteers will be going for rigorous training to prepare them for the games,” Chairman of the LOC said. On the other hand the SVM also confirmed that they are due to finalise the applicants and they will be ready for the games.
According to the SVM mouthpiece, Thabo Osekeng they will be out full force at the games to ensure that they become successful just like the 2014 Africa Youth Games (AYG) where the volunteers did an excellent job. “For the whole of this week we have been finalising the number of our applicants at the games so we can have a number of how many human resource we will need at the games. Besides, this Saturday (today) we will be having AGM and obviously we will map the way forward and strategies for the games so we don’t disappoint,” he said in an interview when asked about their readiness for the games.
The games which are expected to have over 3000 athletes competing have in the past been won by Gaborone City, with Francistown and Central districts always fighting for the second best tag. However, this time around “Spaghetto” has promised they will come out with guns blazing more so they have been doing so well in the BISA competitions.
Gaseitsiwe has also applauded the cooperation between the LOC and other stakeholders especially the districts. He said they have so far enjoyed cordial relationships with all the affected parties, including Francistown mayor, Sylvia Muzila and her council. “As for the regions they have completed their entries thus far and with regards to their preparations everything has been on point.”
The games will see 16 districts competing in 13 sporting codes, at this time it has been confirmed that Boxing will be played at Shashe, Badminton at TCE while athletics and football are expected to be hosted at the Francistown Sports Complex. The games were established in 2007 to nurture talent and they are hosted after every two years, but they couldn’t be hosted in 2013 as preparations for the 2014 AYG were on course.
Sport
It’s do or die for Zebras
The senior national team, the Zebras, is currently in Equatorial Guinea to for an African Cup of Nations Qualifiers tie. Before they departed, the team’s coach, Mogomotsi Mpote, had his troops train in Morocco. This was through the agreement between the two countries.
The agreement between the BFA and the Fédération Moroccan Football Association states that the two nations will work together to organize friendly matches between their respective national teams. It also allows the establishment of football camps for the youth categories (U-15, U-17, and U-20), this includes women’s national teams.
The national team has played over 180 minutes in its two qualifying matches against Tunisia and Libya. Currently, the Zebras, Lesotho and Liberia are the only teams that haven’t scored yet in the competition (this is correct by press time on Friday).
Before the match against Equatorial Guinea match, the local boys who were once known as the whipping boys of Africa in the early 2000s, were languishing at the bottom of the log standings in group J. They lost their first match away to Libya on June 1, 2022. However, they managed to salvage a point against Tunisia last year.
Before the team left for Equatorial Guinea, coach Mpote urged his players to focus on keeping their hopes of making a return trip to the AFCON finals alive after an 11 year absence since the maiden appearance in 2012. He noted that they would not allow their opponents to score and would ensure that they would get a draw.
Despite the various changes that have occurred in the two countries’ football landscape, the two teams have only met once before. In 2010, the local boys defeated the Equatorial Guinea team in a friendly match, which ended in an emphatic win for the visitors. Since then, the two sides have realised different fortunes in FIFA rankings, with Equatorial Guinea ranked 51 places above the Zebras.
Meanwhile, in their last six games, Guinea has only managed to win one of them. They drew with Rwanda and Togo in September 2022 friendlies. They have found the back of the net just twice in their six games. On the other hand, the Zebras, won one match against Zambia and lost four on their way to finishing at the bottom of the group with four points. At the conclusion of their previous AFCON campaign, the local boys traveled to Zambia and secured a draw.
MPOTE CONFIDENT
Despite the recent results of the Guinean team, which have only managed to draw with Rwanda and Togo in their last six matches, coach Mpote is still confident that his team will perform well against the hosts.
According to the head coach, the local boys have the necessary skills and resources to perform well against any country. He noted that the team’s coaches have been studying abroad to gain a deeper understanding of the various aspects of football.
“Tactically they should also be ready. We need your (Botswana fans) usual support, when we come back from Equatorial Guinea, we will go to Francistown, and we will need you. You are our 12th player, and you are very important to us.”
OBED ITANI CHILUME STADIUM CERTIFIED
This week, the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) Tuelo Serufho revealed that the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium will host the return leg of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the local boys and Equatorial Guinea. The venue had initially failed an inspection test conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). However, following the completion of the necessary works, the stadium was allowed to host the match.
According to BNSC Chief, Tuelo Serufho, the various requirements that the stadium must meet included having a designated parking area for the media and spectators, as well as having signage that will guide the spectators. He also noted that the venue now has a world-class media area.
Sport
Jagdish Shah rejects Rollers society
Township Rollers, one of the country’s most decorated football clubs with 15 premier league titles, is finding itself in a precarious situation as its long-term chief financier, Jagdish Shah, threatens to dump them if the society does not bow down to his demand of forfeiting their 20 percent interest in the company.
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Sport
Orange injects P350 000 into Phikwe marathon
Mobile network Orange Botswana is committed to supporting the development of local sport. Through its sponsorship, the company will be able to promote and market the sport. According to Maano Masisi, the company believes that sport can unite people from different backgrounds.
He stated that through the sponsorship of the marathon, the company will help promote healthy lifestyles and unity among the people of Selebi Phikwe.
The Selebi Phikwe Marathon is scheduled to take place on July 29, 2023. It is expected that it will attract international, regional, and social runners. A total of P216 000 has been allocated for the prize money for the first ten places in the 42.2 km race. For the 15km and 10km races, the LOC will give away prizes to the first five places.