21 Mar 2022

Botswana Cycling Association (BCA) has sent Matlhogonolo Botlhole to the 2022 African Cycling Championship in Egypt.

The African Continental Cycling (CAC) championships are held annually since 2001.

 This year the competition will start March 22 until March 27.

Botlhole, of Team Swift and also National U23 champion in both Individual Time Trials (ITT) and Road Race, will compete for the ITT and road race championships at the African cycling championships as a one man team.

BCA said they could not get funding to send a full team to compete at the 2022 CAC championships.

“The plan was to get funding from Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) or Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) to send a full team but we were able to get some funds to at least send one cyclist,” stated BCA president, Mmetla Masire.

Sending one cyclist to the CAC championships, Masire said was partly in line with their plan of taking part in the games and also mentioned costs as a factor.

“It is not ideal, but we are of the view that the benefits outweigh the negatives,” Masire said adding that the athlete sent for the championships was also attending a training camp before the championships started and the camp alone was worth it.

Asked how various roles that would have been played by accompanying officials would be carried out on behalf of the athlete, Masire said “we will ask other teams to help us. It is something that happens in the sport of cycling.”

Normally, cycling as a team sport requires competing riders to have the support of team mates to enhance chances of winning the race, they also need a coach to keep pushing them, a mechanic in place before and during the race to attend to any mechanical needs of the bike.

Masire said Botswana was entering the event to compete and not participate.

He said they had confidence in Botlhole’s chances on ITT, and said he could still do well in the road race even without a full team. Ends