Africa-Press – Botswana. The association hosted a farewell ceremony for Coach Omoniyi Adedotun after a successful training stint with the junior national team, some of whose members brought one gold and several silvers from the JTTA Jo’burg Open 2025 last month and excelled at the Junior Smash Botswana Open over the weekend.
The Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) recently held a farewell ceremony in Gaborone for Coach Omoniyi Adedotun, marking the end of his two-and-a-half-month training programme with the junior national team.
The Nigerian table tennis expert joined BTTA in March with the primary goal of preparing the junior squad for the AUSC Region 5 Games that will take place in Namibia next month (June).
During his brief tenure, Coach Adedotun significantly enhanced the junior team’s skills and competitive spirit.
One gold and several silvers
Under his guidance, the team achieved commendable results at their first international competition, the JTTA Jo’burg Open 2025, where they secured a gold medal and several silver medals.
This achievement has been seen as a positive step towards the team’s preparations for the upcoming games.
Speaking at the farewell ceremony, the president of BTTA, Kudzanani Motswagole, expressed gratitude for Coach Adedotun’s dedication to the junior players.
Closer to podium finish
“Coach Adedotun has laid a strong foundation,” he said. “His work has brought us closer to our target of a podium finish at the Region 5 Games and aligns with our long-term Olympic vision.”
Coach Adedotun returned to his native Nigeria on Saturday, leaving behind what BTTA has described as a legacy of hard work and renewed ambition among the junior players that he trained.
Meanwhile, BTTA successfully hosted the Junior Smash Botswana Open Tournament in Gaborone over the weekend.
Grassroots projects
Sponsored by Phoenix Assurance Botswana, the tourney attracted young players from various clubs and grassroots projects nationwide.
In the boys’ category, Reneilwe Lekorwe of Smash Maniacs Table Tennis Club claimed the title after defeating Thato Kgongwana of the Bontleng/Ithuteng BTTA Project with a 3-1 set win (11-6, 4-11, 11-4, 11-9).
Lekorwe’s performance was marked by his composure and offensive playing style.
Strong court control
In the girls’ category, Boitlamo Nkele triumphed over her Bontleng/Ithuteng teammate Carol David with a 3-1 victory (11-5, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8). Nkele demonstrated strong court control and consistency throughout the match.
BTTA spokesperson Tshegofatso Malepa commended the young players for their performance, attributing the success to the association’s grassroots development initiatives.
In a brief interview following the tournament, Malepa thanked Phoenix Assurance Botswana for supporting junior table tennis, highlighting the growing talent pool within the sport.
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