Africa-Press – Lesotho. Athletes, Ts’epeng Sello and Khereng Khereng, under the Lesotho Universities and Colleges Association (LUCSA) left the country yesterday for Taipei, Taiwan where they will be representing Lesotho at the World University Games from the 19th to the 30th August 2017.
The Lesotho Rio 2016 Olympian, Sello from University of Free State will be competing in the 800m race while Khereng from the National University of Lesotho (NUL) will be faced with huge challenge to raise high the Mountain Kingdom flag in the 100m as well as the 200m races.
The games are held every two years under the auspices of the International University Sports Federation (Fisu). A send-off ceremony for the two athletes was held yesterday (Monday) afternoon at Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission (LSRC).
Speaking at the event, LUCSA acting president Kokolia Ramabele, revealed that lack of funds had forced them to send only two athletes to the event. “As members of Fisu, we are being assisted by them to send athletes to these games and Fisu is only funding two athletes and one official.
Therefore our financial position couldn’t allow us to send more than that,” said Ramabele. He also made it clear that it is their wish to have more athletes in these games in future.
”We tried all we can to secure sponsors in order to boost our delegation, but it was not easy,” he said.
Besides that, Ramabele postulated that they depend on the government subvention via LSRC of which he said, is reserved for local activities. Ramabele said they hope the two athletes would make Basotho proud.
However, he warned that it was somehow risky to send two athletes to the competition whereas other countries bring in over 100 athletes. “I hope these games will give them more exposure and the country will be able to use them again whenever are international competitions,” Ramabele noted.
On behalf of the athletes Khereng promised that they are ready to face the challenge. “We had enough preparations and I hope we are competent enough to stand the pressure” promised Khereng.
He also added they will not be demoralized by the fact that they will be competing against wealthier countries that managed to send hundreds of athletes to the games while Lesotho will be having only two. Lesotho delegation to Taiwan is expected to be back in the country on the 2nd of September 2017.
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