Botswana tops SACA championships meday tally

Despite the absence of school sports, Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) and its coaches continue to successfully identify raw talent, and their efforts have culminated in a first-place finish for Botswana out of the 12 countries that participated at the Southern African Confederation of Athletics (SACA) championships held in Mauritius on June 6 and 7. Botswana raked in 20 medals, consisting of 10 gold, three silver and seven bronze. Some of the outstanding performances were through Botswana’s rising sprint queen Same Mhutsiwa who won two gold medals in the U20 categories.

She won 100 metres with a time of 11.84 seconds while in 200 metres she stopped the clock in 24.30 seconds. In the Men’s U20 200m, Junior Phatsima stopped the clock in 20.97 seconds, and won another gold in the 400m with a personal best of 46.31 seconds, winning a double for Botswana, Other gold medals were won by Ludo Mbekwa in the Women’s U20 Long Jump with a leap of 5.51m, and Game Onneile in the Women’s U18 200m, recording 25.65 seconds. Reiniours Geza won the Men’s U18 400m with a time of 49.11 seconds, while Bokang Isang won in the U18 category with a time of 21.14 seconds.

The Mixed 4x100m Relay team, made up of Wazha Matakule, Oarabile Hines, Jack Newman, and Mhutsiwa, won with a time of 45.24 seconds. The Men’s U20 4x100m comprising Phatsima, Newman, Lucky Chivero, and Matakule won with 41.66 seconds. Silver medals were delivered by Jayden Mathambo in the Men’s U20 110m Hurdles with a time of 14:75 and by Lebogang Mugagu in the Men’s U20 1500m, who clocked 4:03.59.

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The U20 Mixed 4x400m Relay team comprising Wedu Matiwe, Tsaone Dintwa, Hines, and Warona Mokgosi won with a time of 3:40.91. Bronze medals were won by Mathambo in the Men’s U20 400m Hurdles after clocking 55:59 seconds, Mugagu clocked 1:56.55 in the Men’s U20 800m, whereas Agang Magang recorded 1.95m in the Men’s U20 High Jump.

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