27 Apr 2023

The 100m sprinter, Boitshepiso Kelapile, is among the 21 athletes that will represent the North West District in the curtain-raiser events at the FNB Botswana Golden Grand Prix billed for Gaborone, Saturday.

The athletes are expected to compete in the 100m, 200m, 400m, and 800m race while one will battle it out in shot-put. Kelapile once represented the country in Kenya.

Speaking during the team’s send-off ceremony, North West District Council chairperson, Kebareeditse Ntsogotho said the selected athletes had proved that the district had extraordinary talent as far as sport was concerned.

He, therefore, urged them to conduct themselves in an acceptable manner noting that they should understand that they were not only representing their clubs, but villages and the district as well.

Athletes were advised to refrain from experimenting with drugs as that could ruin their future.

Ntsogotho noted that doping was a serious issue in sport saying many careers of amateur athletes were cut short because of drugs.

“You are our heroes and heroines and we expect you to conduct yourselves in an acceptable manner and make us proud by bringing medals,” he added.

He also appreciated the coaches for their sacrifice in training athletes despite the lack of resources and assured them of his support

Ntsogotlho also urged members of the community and the business to support sport development in the district.

The team leader, Ralph Ledimo, who is also chairperson of the Track and Field Athletics Club thanked the council for recognising their efforts noting that for years, they had been struggling with resources to ensure the athletes achieved their dreams of competing in national events and even outside the borders.

“We are volunteers and because we have realised that the district had a lot of talent we decided to unearth, nurture and develop it and at times we are forced to use our own resources to ensure the athletes compete in events.  We have been doing this for the district,” he added.

Ledimo said he had been walking the journey with Meleko Ndolo and Dose Mosimanyane who were national coaches.

He also acknowledged that the team had been training daily.

He believed that the support from the council would open doors for other stakeholders to come on board.

Ledimo also believed that the athletes would manage to break records and put the district on the map. ENDS