17 Apr 2023

The maiden Botswana Table Tennis Association Phoenix Assurance National Super League is hailed as a great success in the growth of sport.

Launching the league on Saturday, Head of Alternative Distribution Channels at Phoenix Assurance, Pearl Maswibilili said the league would help grow the code and keep players fit, more especially those in the national team.

“The league, scheduled to end in June, will also prepare the national team for the coming International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Southern Region World Qualifiers 2023 billed for Gaborone from June 29 to July 2,” she said.

Maswibilili said the company was committed to taking table tennis to the next level, hence their decision to associate with sport development since 2019.

She, therefore, urged the 16 players selected to partake in the league to use it as an opportunity to grow their level of competitiveness.

She said sport required precision, focus, and a high level of fitness and urged players to use the challenges and rewards of table tennis to motivate them to fly the country’s flag high.

Director of Sports Development at Botswana National Sports Commission, Peaceful Seleka expressed gratitude to private companies such as Phoenix Assurance Botswana for contributing to the development of sports. Seleka said in doing so, the private sector was augmenting what government was putting on the table to develop various sporting codes.

“We primarily depend on government funding, therefore, efforts made by the private sector are highly commended,” he said.

He said BTTA was one of the sporting associations that had proved its determination to grow by engaging players despite lack of funds.

He observed that a larger portion of what they received through various sponsorships was used to develop players.

Seleka said the introduction of the league was a commendable development as it would go a long way in encouraging competition and ultimately providing national team players with much-needed practice.

Meanwhile, BTTA President Kudzanani Motswagole said Phoenix Assurance had contributed immensely to the development of table tennis, as such the code was able to achieve its mandate of sport development.

Motswagole said the code was humbled and honoured to be associated with Phoenix Assurance as the sponsorship would help drive their mandate.

“We want to make table tennis one of the contributors to employment creation in the country,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the players, Olorato Ramagapu said as a result of support from Phoenix Assurance, table tennis experienced growth as witnessed by the increased number of players who were offered scholarships to study in India.

“We are given a reason to live and enjoy the sport.

The little that we get impacts positively on our livelihoods,” she said. ENDS