Consistently active in promoting the sport of table tennis, Botswana will host the Southern African Regional Championships in Gaborone, the country’s capital city, from Thursday 25th to Monday 29th January.
A qualification tournament for the 2018 ITTF Africa Cup to be staged in Nairobi from Thursday 1st to Saturday 3rd March, it is anticipated that teams from Angola, Namibia, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa will compete.
The venue in Botswana (Photo: courtesy of Olalekan Okusan)
by Olalekan Okusan, ITTF Africa Press Officer
Under the direction of Kudzanani Motswagole, the Competition Director, the tournament will feature 100 players. The hosts, Botswana, will be allowed to field two men’s and two women’s teams; for other associations it will be one in each category.
“It is with great pleasure to announce that Double Happiness has sponsored the event with donations of over 1,300 training balls and 200 competition balls; also they have provided 26 tracksuits and 26 shirts. A special thanks must be given to Mr Yang Bao Sheng, a Chinese businessman residing in Botswana.” Kudzanani Motswagole
It is anticipated that 16 umpires will be on duty; whilst in addition, during the event, the Annual General Meeting of the African Union Sports Council Region Five Confederation will be staged at that the Botho University, the country’s major educational establishment. The players will be accommodated at the Oasis Motel, one of the event’s partners.
“There will be wide media coverage before, during and after the tournament. Major media organisations are expected such as The Guardian, Mmegi, Echo, The Voice, Daily News, Yarona Fm, Duma Fm, Gabzfm and Botswana Television. We are very delighted that the Botswana Table Tennis Association and the government of Botswana will be providing a competition forum for the best athletes and coaches together with umpires in the region to showcase their talent.” Kudzanani Motswagole
Notably the first ever Southern African Region Championship, staged in 2001, was organised by the Botswana Table Tennis Association.
