As National Sports Associations (NSAs)’s struggles for funding continue, a number of local athletes are finding ways to sponsor their own trips to represent the country on international arenas.
Recently, three Batswana Tang Soo Do athletes dug deep into their own pockets to go and compete at the 2026 World Tang Soo Do Association (WTSDA) Region 14 South African Championship. The championship was held in Pretoria, South Africa on 3rd October 2026.
Despite having to finance their own participation, the three athletes, Nimrod Phiri, Moses Phiri and Bakang Motlhabi,represented the flag with pride. They brought five medals according to their individual results. The athletes competed in open hand forms, weapons forms and sparring.
The championship attracted more than 70 competitors from Botswana, Mozambique and host nation South Africa, providing a regional platform for athletes to test their skills in their respective categories.
Phiri had the most outstanding perfomance as he delivered Botswana’s gold medal in open hand forms, while also securing silver sparring. Moses Phiri earned bronze medals in both open hand forms and sparring, while Motlhabi claimed silver in sparring.
The results represent a good return on investment for the three-man self-sponsored team Botswana. Botswana Tang Soo Do Chief Instructor Lebogang Ramhago says while the small delegation limited the country’s representation at the event,the five medals meant the trip went well despite challenges.
His belief is that had the sport found sponsorships, it could have brought much better results as it could have sent more athletes to compete.
Botswana Tang Soo Do’s funding struggles highlight some of the main challenges facing athletes seeking opportunities to compete beyond their home country. Without sponsorship, participation depends on individuals meeting the costs associated with travelling to competitions, potentially limiting the number of athletes able to gain regional experience.
For the Botswana delegation, their financial sacrifice provided them with an opportunity to test themselves against athletes from neighbouring countries, while recording individual results. Open hand forms involve the performance of prescribed sequences of martial arts techniques, while sparing tests competitors’ ability to apply their skills in a controlled contest. Participation in both categories allowed the Botswana athletes to gauge their growth and development in different aspects of the discipline.
With the experiences from the recent competition in mind, the team will now look forward towards the 2027 WTSDA Region 14 African Championship, scheduled for October in Mozambique. According to Ramhago, the event will feature competitions and black-belt grading examinations.
The Botswana team is expected to prepare for the championship, which will provide another opportunity for local athletes to participate in regional competition.
However, the extent of Botswana’s representation at the next event may depend partly on the resources available to support participation. For now, the three athletes’ results provide a record of Botswana’s participation in the Pretoria championship, while the experience sets a reference point as preparations for the 2027 event approach.
