Badminton crashes out e id s In of All Africa games
Botswana Badminton Association (BBA)’s four representatives at the ongoing All Africa Senior Championships held in Benoni, South Africa have all crashed out of the competition at the first time of asking. The four players, Tsamorena Kevin Kgosidialwa, Tebogo Nzidge, Keletso Ntebela and Tumelo Moilwa teamed up and competed in the doubles categories and registered 5-0 losses against Mauritius and island side, Reunion, respectively on Monday. Before leaving for South Africa, BBA Exco- mandated the team to bring at least a bronze medal from the games but the quartet performed below the expected standards. “We wanted at least a bronze medal from the games, unfortunately we couldn’t make it beyond the first stages of the competition; we will engage with the coach and see where we went wrong and possible areas to improve,” the association’s mouthpiece, Thobo Tshosa told Sun Sports yesterday. Due to lack of funds, the association sent only four (4) players to the games instead of their initial proposed eight (8) players.
The Botswana National Sport Commission could not fund the trip as they told the association that their coffers are dry. “We were struggling to source funds for the trip, we wrote to Botswana National
Sport Commission requesting for assistance but unfortunately they couldn’t assist. To fund a trip of at least eight players and other officials from the association would have cost just over P50 000; an amount that the BNSC currently don’t have; so we had to cut down the size of the team,” Tshosa shared.
The BBA spokesperson further added that, for them to improve the level of their players and also enjoy more support from Badminton World Federation (BWF), competing in international tournaments is imperative. “It was very important for us to have taken part in the games, firstly, we are close to South Africa, secondly, our presence across the continent has not been seen much in various tournaments—the Badminton World Federation (BWF) awards points based on international participation and administration of competences of its members, so it was key for us to be there,” he said. BBA held several competitions last year and it is expected that 2023 will bring even more events in their calendar; the South Africa Badminton World Championships are just a start, and will be followed by the University of Botswana Open Championships, 24th- 26th March, BBA Open Championship which are slated for 29th- 30th April, with international assignment not expected until All Africa Games in August.