Botswana Table Tennis national team players will leave for South Africa’s SA Return to Table Tennis Championships in a high this coming Thursday.
The team goes to the tournament, which is billed for Mangaung, Bloemfontein, at the invitation of the SA Table Tennis Board.
Two weeks after dominating the national team selections, the quad of Tshepiso Rebatenne, Olorato Ramagapu, Bakang Maloka and Boago Malobela were at it again this past weekend.
The four players were in dominant mood as they finished in podium positions at the Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) open championships.
Just as they did a fortnight ago, Rebatenne and Ramagapu got positions 1 and 2 respectively in the ladies’ section while Maloka and Malobela did the same respectively in the men’s section.
The BTTA national open was the last tournament of the season for the BTTA, which has enjoyed a great season in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
The performances by the four players put any doubt, if there was any, to rest as they proved they are the best players in the country at the moment based on current form.
“What the performances of the four proved is that their entry into the national team was no fluke, that they are deserving of their spots in the national team,” BTTA Publicity Secretary Tiro Motswasele said.
The BTTA Publicity Secretary said as an association, their players’ selection to the national team is based on current form and the four have proved their previous performances were no flash in the pan.
“Unlike other sports, our national team players are not selected by coaches. Players have to select themselves by winning the national team selection tournaments,” he said.
Speaking in an interview, a delighted Motswasele said he expects the inform team to represent the country well in South Africa.
The four players, who will be accompanied by three (3) officials, are expected to leave the country on the 17th of this month and return back home three days later on the 20th.
The four will be accompanied by Kola Modisathebe and Tshepo Modisane as ladies and men’s coaches respectively, with Sedireng Tapa completing the entourage as Team Manager.
