BOTESSA team competes in Taiwan

Botswana Tertiary School Sports Association (BOTESSA) is expected to send an 18 strong team to Taiwan for the International University Sports Federation games. The athletes were selected during the recent BOTESSA competitions. The team comprises eight athletes (track and field), two badminton players, two table tennis players and two lawn tennis players.

The tertiary school sport body membership ranges from technical colleges, universities, institutions of health, brigades, Police College and wild life college. In an interview this week, team captain Ditiro Sebele promised that they are going to do their best as the team prepared well for the competition. “Let me thank the leadership and coaches from BOTESSA structure for putting together this team”, said Sebele. Nonetheless, the captain did not commit a medal target ahead of the competition. Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research Science and Technology representative Jimmy Mathuba and BOTESSA Patron Kgosi Puso Gaborone encouraged athletes to stay away from drugs.

The two officials did not commit expected medal tally from team Botswana. “I urge you to go and do your best, we do not want to put you under unnecessary pressure. There is only one danger to an athlete in sport, and that is consumption of performance enhancing substances”, said Mathuba. As they prepare for the international showpiece, the team is expected to draw inspiration from the recent IAAF World championships, which include Isaac Makwala solo run and 4x400m ladies relay team who made it to the finals.

Justice Dipeba who travelled with the athletics national team to world championship games in London will join the team to Taiwan. The head of delegation is Reuben Rathedi from the University of Botswana. BOTESSA president Monare Ramasotla and Rathedi are currently in the Asian nation.