Africa-Press – Botswana. BTA has described their medal haul as “a testament to their hard work, unity and rising potential”.
Botswana’s junior tennis players proved their mettle on the continental stage, clinching four medals at the just-ended African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Youth Games in Namibia.
Competing in the Under 20 category, the Botswana team returned home with one gold and three silver medals, prompting Botswana tennis spokesperson Tshepang Tlhankane to describe it as “a testament to their hard work, unity and rising potential”.
Gold and silver moments
Leading the medal haul was Ntungamili Raguin, who captured gold in the boys’ singles event.
The silver medals came from doubles pairings: Chelsea Chakanyuka and Naledi Raguin in the girls’ doubles, and Mark Nawa and Seabo Saleshando in the boys’ doubles.
The fourth medal came from the team event where Botswana narrowly lost to South Africa 4-3 in a nail-biting final.
Tlhankane, the spokesperson of Botswana Tennis Association, commented: “This is a youth tournament, so all the athletes competing were under 20. We are proud of each and every one of them because they fought hard and gave their all for the flag.”
Ready to take on the world
He believes that this performance is more than just a medal count but a reflection of a maturing tennis system in Botswana.
“This performance shows that our players are ready to take on the world,” he said.
“Some of them are preparing for college tennis in the US while others will soon represent Botswana at the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup. This kind of showing proves we are moving in the right direction and that we have what it takes to compete at the highest level.”
Tlhankane added that players like Ntungamili and Seabo will return to competing in International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior tournaments to maintain momentum. “They’re still juniors, and continuing to compete at that level will help them build experience and ranking,” he said.
“This is only the beginning”
Beyond the medals, the AUSC Games provided a valuable platform for the players to gain international exposure and bond as a team. Tlhankane praised the collective spirit and patriotism displayed by the athletes.
“They played not just for themselves but for Botswana,” he emphasised. “It’s that spirit of patriotism combined with discipline and hard work that brought us these medals. We’re proud of what they achieved, and this is only the beginning.”
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