14 Jun 2023

Botswana Tertiary Student Sports Association (BOTESSA) will send 14 athletes to the International University Sports Federation (FISU) games scheduled for July 28 to August 8 in Chengdu, China.

Speaking at a press briefing in Gaborone on Tuesday, BOTESSA vice president – administration, Joseph Mtika said the team comprised athletics and judo.

Mtika said although BOTESSA faced financial constraints, they took solace in the fact that they got different sponsors.

He said their main sponsors, First National Bank Botswana, some government ministries, institutions and Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) were facilitating the trip.

“The association made a request to the institutions to sponsor their athletes and on one hand, the association through the office of BNSC wrote letters to different ministries of those athletes. We are happy some of the institutions have pledged to buy their athletes air tickets,” he said.

About the team’s preparations, Mtika said all track and field athletes that had qualified for FISU had been competing at the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) Series as well as Botswana Golden Grand Prix to prepare.

Furthermore, he said they had scheduled a camp for the team to prepare for FISU games and the association encouraged the athletes to train with some teams and participate in BAA competitions at an individual level.

He said the athletics team would be under the tutelage of Phenyo Semmu, while Judo would be under Anastacia Masingizane.

Mtika said Botswana would be represented by Thuso Masasa in the 100 metres men while in the women’s category it would be Tshepang Manyika, Oarabile Tshosa, Lone Madzimule in the 100 and 4x100 metres relay.

He said Phenyo Majama would compete in the 200 metres men, adding that Golekanye Chikani, Kennekae Batisani, Motlatsi Rante and Madmimule would compete in the 4 x400 women’s relay, while Itumeleng James would be competing in the 800 metres.

According to Mtika, Tebogo Moepeng would compete in the long jump, while Maatla Serokana and Molemo Sello would compete in judo.  ENDS