25 Oct 2024

 The trio of Arona Moshoboro, Laone Moshoboro and Maya Otimile will represent Botswana at the FIDE World Youth Chess Championships 2024 slated for Florianopolis, Brazil.

They will leave Sunday for the tournament that will run from October 28 to November 10.

Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) marketing and public relations officer, Goitsemodimo Makgatle said the country would send a team of three girls who had over the years been doing well in the game and were ready to compete in the world stage.

Makgatle said the team was made of dedicated individuals, who were committed to the game and always striving for positive results. 

She said even though the team was not in camp, the players were undergoing rigorous training with their coaches.

As part of their preparations, the players will prior to their departure take part in the Botswana International Cadet and Youth Chess Championships, which will be held in Gaborone over the weekend.

She said the trio competed in the Africa Youth Chess Championships in June held in South Africa, where Maya competed in the U-14 category and scooped a silver medal.

Makgatle said Laone would be competing in the U-16 category. In 2023, she won Gold medals in the U-16 Re Ba Bona Ha chess tournament and the India@75 chess tournament and silver in the U-15 category at the Africa Online Individual World Schools Chess Chamiponships.

She said Arona, who would be competing in the U-18 category would join the team in Brazil as she was currently based in Boston, USA under the elite scholarship programme of Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC). 

In 2023, Arona won a Bronze medal in the Africa Online Individual World Schools Chess Chamiponships.

Makgatle said Naledi Marape who had qualified for the Championship after winning a gold medal at the Africa Youth Chess Championships, would not make it to the World Youth Chess Championships. 

She said Naledi recently competed at the World Olympiad and therefore deserved a rest and to focus on other personal engagements and her studies.

Makgatle said the players made it to the world stage based on their positive records and BCF had wanted to take more players to the championship, but was handicapped by budgetary constraints. 

She added that some of the players were currently held up by school commitment. Makgatle also emphasised that the involvement of parents was critical in the development of sports. 

She said most of the parents were committed to providing for their children and covering where BCF experience short comings. Ends