26 Apr 2022

Botswana is on the verge of making a historic qualification at the first ever World Bowls Indoor championships.

The inaugural tournament played in the County and City of Bristol southwest England is a new world championship for indoor bowls with players from 27 countries taking part.

Botswana is represented by Marea Modutlwa of Gaborone Bowling Club while Remmy Kebapetse of Jwaneng Bowling Club plays in the men’s division.

Speaking from her base in Bristol Monday Modutlwa said they were keeping their heads high and hope for a podium finish at the end of the tough days ahead.

She said the opening matches were a mixed fortune as they lost in the singles categories while in the mixed pairs the managed to overcome Malaysia. Botswana beat Malaysia 10-4 7-5 on straight sets.

Malaysia is a top ranked side in the world of bowls and current Commonwealth champions in mixed pairs.

Modutlwa said the result against the top seeded side had spurred them on and remained hopeful of making it to the quarterfinal stage on Thursday.

She said in the mixed pairs were four countries in each group and they had to win the three games for automatic qualification to the next stage.

She said Botswana stood a chance even in the single despite losing their opening two games. Kebapetse lost 2-10 5-6 to Hong Kong while Modutlwa fell 3-8 4-11 to Jersey.

 The intriguing indoor bowls event is the product of a merger of flagship events on the part of the World Bowls (WB) who run the sport worldwide and the former world indoor bowls council.

The event was originally scheduled for 2020 but delayed by COVID-19.

Botswana is likely to face strong contender in the mould of Wales, England, Scotland, Australia, Canada and Turkey among others.

The Botswana pair of Modutlwa and Kebapetse would hope for a respectable finish at the indoor games to prepare for the Birmingham Commonwealth games and also the forthcoming 2023 World Bowls outdoor championships.

Modutlwa has consistently impressed over the last few years and is the reigning national singles Champion.

She has represented Botswana at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2019 Atlantic Bowls Championships in Cardiff Wales where she secured a qualification spot in Singles for the 2020 World Bowls Championships.

Kebapetse had also enjoyed some success over the years. He was part of the Botswana men’s team that placed an excellent overall 9th out of 25 countries at the 2019 Atlantic Championships where he secured a qualification spot in the Men’s singles for the 2020 World Bowls Championships.

In the Pairs discipline he secured qualification alongside Scotland, Malta, Jersey, Wales, and Isle of Man.

Kebapetse is the most experienced member of the men’s team having represented Botswana at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games and he was one of the quartet which won a bronze medal for Botswana at the 2009 World Tiger Bowls tournament held in Hong Kong.

Botswana will play Sweden/ Wales in the mixed pair category this afternoon while Modutlwa will face Wales while Kebapetse takes on Hungary in the evening in the singles matches.

Ends