15 Mar 2022

Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) has announced 12 athletes who will benefit from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through the Olympic Solidarity (OS) programme.

The beneficiaries are Alpheus Kagiso of weightlifting, swimmer Maxine Egner, boxer Rajab Mahammed, while the remaining nine slots have been awarded to Botswana Athletics Association.

The athletes are 400 metres runners; Baboloki Thebe, Anthony Pesela, Leungo Scotch, Ditiro Nzamani, Christine Botlogetswe, Galefele Moroko, Galefele Moroko and 100m sensation, Letsile Tebogo.

The programme offers critical funding to promising athletes and the scholarships will help beneficiaries qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

A press release from the BNOC says the scholarship offers selected athletes a fixed monthly grant for their training and qualification costs that may contribute to, amongst others, access to appropriate training facilities.

It says the cost may also contribute to coach specialising in the relevant sporting discipline, regular medical and scientific assistance and monitoring, accident and illness insurance.

It also covers pocket money, travel costs for the athlete to participate in competitions including Olympic qualification events.

The release states that since the primary objective of awarding an Olympic scholarship is the athlete’s qualification for the Olympic Games, Olympic Solidarity reserves the right to withdraw the scholarship from any athlete for failure to qualify for Paris 2024.

It says it can also with draw for any reason that will prevent the athlete from participating in the Olympic Games Paris 2024,unethical behaviour such as doping and indiscipline, contravention of National Federation or National Olympic Committee scholarship agreement or Olympic Charter.

However, Sunday Standard sport editor, Botlhale Koothopile said the list had some few surprises and the glaring one being the omission of Nijel Amos and Leungo Matlhaku.

“I believe that these athletes should be in the list, unless they are already on scholarship. As we have come to understand this scholarship is for athletes with potential to qualify for the next Olympics,” he said.

Koothopile said Amos was likely to qualify first.

Matlhaku, he said, was the most improving athlete given her performance towards the Tokyo Olympics, citing that she was getting closer to qualifying.

He said Matlhaku was also a member of the women’s 4x 400m relay team, adding that she deserved to get some scholarship for her to train better.

Koothopile said the list consists of some of the country’s best emerging talent with great potential to qualify and represent Botswana beyond 2028 Olympics. ENDS