26 Oct 2023

The Botswana Swimming Sport Association (BSSA) will from October 27 until October 28, host the long course gala event.

BSSA spokesperson, Gwendolyn Harry said in an interview that the two-day event would attract  athletes from all corners of the country.

“It’s a long course gala, which means we have more longer races on the programme.

It gives our swimmers the opportunity to improve on their long course times and expose them to endurance swimming as opposed to sprints only,” she said.

She said the event was one of their pre-scheduled galas for the year. Harry said their elite swimmers across all clubs would participate at the event, adding that they expected competition from swimmers.

Among the top swimmers expected to grace the gala are Khalil Sethi, Ntsika Mothibatsela, Mmusi Matthews, Kyra Harry, Junior Keitsile and Melodi Saleshando.

“These swimmers also form part of the team that will travel to Mauritius for the Africa Junior Championships, which will be held at the Cote d’Or National Sports Complex, Saint Pierre, Mauritius in December.

Harry and Keitsile had represented the country at the Seventh Commonwealth Youth Games, which were held in Trinidad and Tobago in August.

Although they did not bring medals, they managed to gain experience and are among the swimmers to watch.

Also tough competition should be excpected from Keitsile, Saleshando and Matthews, who are fresh from the World Aquatics Junior Championships, which were held in Netaya, Israel in September.

Though none of the swimmers proceeded to the next leg of the competition in Israel, some of them registered their Personal Best times. ENDS