Moorosi Tsiane
THAPELO Mosala was the hero on Saturday where he clocked 12.05 seconds in the 100m under-15 category to win Lesotho’s only gold medal at the Confederation of Southern African Schools Sports Associations (COSASSA) games in Manzini, eSwatini over the last weekend.
The other medallists at the event were Mmamakoli Senauoane who got two silvers in under-17 400m and 200m respectively.
Thebe Semoko also got silver in 3000m male category while Molefi Thibeli got silver in the under-15 800m.
Semoko also got a bronze in under-17 1500m. Tanki Molefe (male) got bronze in 3000m while Manqabang Tsibela got bronze in 3000m.
The team bagged eight medals (one gold, four silver and three bronze) to come fourth out of six nations which participated at the games.
Lesotho Institutions Sports Associations (LISA) Secretary General Phosholi Phosholi said although they brought back medals, they were not too impressed with the team’s performance. He however, said this can be attributed to lack of preparations.
“We are not happy because we believe this team could have done much better should it have prepared better,” Phosholi said.
“Other countries were prepared and they arrived in eSwatini well in time while we arrived just a day before the games begin (Wednesday) and the games began on Thursday and ended on Sunday,” said Phosholi.
He said starlet Manqabang Tsibela also had health problems hence her performance dropped.
“Our star runner Manqabang was also not in good health so her performance has dropped,” he said.
However, Phosholi said his team still managed to compete to win medals which was a significant feat.
He also said if the country is to do well in next year’s AUSC Region 5 Games penned in for Maseru, the authorities must start supporting athletes.
“We left late because there was no money and we actually left without it and were told that we would get it on the way. Such preparations make our athletes suffer. Other countries had their teams camping for two weeks prior to this games while ours was a different case.
“Next year we will be hosting the Region 5 Games and there is no doubt that the core of these athletes are likely to form the national team but it is sad that they are not getting any support. We need to start nurturing them at this age if we are to get the best out of them.
“We have very promising athletes among them Mmamakoli Senauoane, who is now holding the 400m record (54.91) at such a young age. We just need to take care of them because they have shown a lot of potential,” Phosholi said.
