The Botswana Tertiary Student Sports Association (BOTESSA) announced at a press conference earlier in the week their keenness to participate in the 17th Confederation of Universities and Colleges of Sports Association (CUCSA) games of Zone VI.
The event will be held in Lusaka, Zambia, from August 16 to 23.
In 2012, BOTESSA participated in the Zone VI – Confederation of Universities and Colleges of Sports Association (CUCSA) games and Federation of African University Sport (FUSA), both hosted by Namibia in July and December, respectively.
At those games, which saw seven countries compete, BOTESSA managed to mint 13 gold medals, 17 silver and 11 bronze ÔÇô and emerged in first position.
The codes to be contested at the up-coming Lusaka games are athletics, basketball, chess, football, netball, table tennis, tennis, volleyball.
The training camp for the CUCSA games was held on the August 12 to 13, with the send off taking place on August 13.
BOTESSA Public Relations Officer, Mpho Isaacs, said the team has identified the start performers, on which hopes for gold medals rest.
These are Gobe Takobana from Oodi College of Applied Arts and Technology (OCAAT) in high jump; Lydia Mashila of the Botswana College of Agriculture who will run in the -400m; Pako Seribe of ABM College, slated for the men’s 400m; and Tlotlo Kebinakgabo who will run in the 800m. Isaacs added that the women’s 4 x 1 have been tipped to strike gold, as are the men’s 4 x 4.
She said they have received support from the Botswana National Sports Council, who funded the athletes to participate at the highly esteemed games.
The CUCSA games are qualifiers for various upcoming sporting activities.
“However some sporting codes have been turned down due to the fact that there were less than five countries who had registered to compete in such codes,” Isaacs said.
