31 May 2023

Botswana Cycling Association (BCA) has announced a team of four riders heading to the Confederation of African Cycling (CAC) Mountain Bike (MTB) African Championships billed for Johannesburg, South Africa June 2-4.

The quartet: Lobopo Kono, Gontse Lethokwe, Sandile Slave-Moyo and Thato Madimabe will participate in the elite and Under 23 categories.

Kono, the sole female rider in the team, will compete in the U-23 category, with the rest featuring in the elite category.

The CAC MTB African Championships attracts top riders from the continent.

The meet is  used as a qualifier for the Paris 2024 games.  

Except for Lethokwe,  BCA will send an inexperienced team to the competition, but the association is hoping for good performance.

“The team is generally inexperienced but that does not rule out the possibility of them competing successfully,” said BCA secretary general, Game Mompe.

Mompe said competing would accord the rookies good experience and refine them for future competitions.

“Our plan is to create an opportunity for the selected athletes to compete at these major games as this gives them the opportunity to gain points as individuals and for the country,” Mompe added.

She said participating at such games was a valuable experience ‘that will assist the athletes with improving their performance and overall development objectives.’

The Thaba Trails is a familiar route for Lethokwe, having ridden through it during the South Africa National XCO Cup Number Four last year, just before going to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

He also has a similar experience of these kind of games from the 2022 edition in Namibia.

Coach Karabo Moletsane and bike mechanic Saviour Matlhankanyane will accompany the team. ENDS