31 Jul 2022

The national women lawn bowls team got off to a good start at the Commonwealth Games winning a slot in the quarter-finals of the closely contested matches.

Botswana lost the last round match by one shot to Fiji, but managed to qualify for the quarter-finals because Australia lost to Scotland.

Botswana and Australia were tied on four points apiece but Botswana had a better shot difference and settled for the second spot, which booked them a place in the quarter-finals against New Zealand. Botswana had a sensational game against one of the world’s lawn bowls powerhouses, Australia and ended the match on a 15-15 score in rink 10 of the first round games.

The team went on to beat Scotland 21-11 in rink 22 of the second-round tie. Botswana has assembled a strong team of four women: Marea Modutlwa, Boikhutso Mooketsi, Tshenolo Moshokgo and young sensational bowler Lesego Motladiile. The four are taking part in women’s triples and women’s fours. Moshokgo is playing as skip, Modutlwa third, Mooketsi second and 24-year-old Motladiile as lead in the fours round.

“We had a great game against Australia and we are confident that we are playing according to plan and instruction.

 We had good preparations as you may be aware of our intensive training camp in South Africa under the watchful eye of veteran and reputable coach Theuns Fraser,” said Modutlwa.

Modutlwa said they were impressed by the level of expertise the team gained from Fraser, the former Proteas national bowls coach for 27 years.

 The world acclaimed coach guided the Proteas to nine gold medals at four Commonwealth Games.

“We are super happy that we managed to qualify against the tried and tested and probably the best team in the world in the mould of Australia,” said Modutlwa in a post-match interview from their base in Birmingham.

Modutlwa 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 champion. Moshokgo brings an array 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.

Motladiile has been a youth champion for the past six years. Despite her age, she remains one of the finest crops of talented bowlers locally and had represented Botswana at the 2017 Youth championships in Australia.  ENDS