07 Jul 2022

 The senior national women’s bowling team coach admits they will face a daunting task against lawn bowls powerhouses at this year’s Commonwealth Games.

The team will, on Sunday, travel to Birmingham, United Kingdom for the games.

In an interview this week, team mentor, Gasegarona Pabalelo, said following a string of good performances and intensive games, she had high hopes.

“We are in our last preparatory camp in Gaborone and all the preparations started last year. We have been doing weekly assessments and finally had a national championship in Orapa. I can see their strength, despite the challenge we shall face ahead, I foresee a medal, failing which a top eight spot,” she said.

Pabalelo, who was appointed national team coach last year, will face her first stern test at the global showpiece in Birmingham.

Botswana has assembled a strong team of four women; Marea Modutlwa, Boikhutso Mooketsi, Tshenolo Moshokgo and Lesego Motladiile. The four will take part in women’s triples and women’s fours beginning the 29th of this month.

Speaking on the sidelines of the training camp, Modutlwa said they were impressed by the level of expertise they gained from former Proteas national bowls coach, Theuns Fraser, at a recent training camp in South Africa.

“We are grateful of the experience and we believe that what we learnt there will help us a lot in our games in Birmingham,” she said.

Modutlwa is no stranger to competition at the highest level having represented the country at the same games in Gold Coast in 2018. She comes across as the most decorated of the four having taken part in prestigious tournaments such as world indoor bowls championships, Atlantic championships among others.

Moshokgo is this year’s national championships with a healthy medal tally from the just ended national bowls championships, where she was crowned champion in singles, fours and pairs. She was eventually named player of the tournament.

 Moshokgo brings a wealth of experience to the team, having participated in the 2006 international pairs in Zimbabwe and the 2008 XIth world bowling championships in New Zealand.

Mooketsi was also exceptional during the national champions and had also participated in big tournaments such as Peter Richards Invitational pairs tournament and the Quadrangular tournament.

The toast of the team is 24-year-old youthful sensation Lesego Motladiile, who has been a youth champions for the past six years. Despite her age, she remains one of the finest crop of bowlers locally and has represented Botswana at the 2017 Youth championships in Australia. Lesego, who started playing bowling at the tender age of 10, is the daughter of reputable bowler Oabona Motladiile. ENDS