Leemisa Thuseho
BOHLOKOA Senekane will go down in history as the first Lesotho athlete to represent the country at an international rowing championship.
The 16-year-old recently competed in the African Rowing Beach Sprint Championship held in East London, South Africa, from 28 to 29 October.
Senekane took part in the junior single scull category, where he was eliminated in the second round after making a routing mistake by passing a checkpoint buoy on the wrong side.
As a result, he did not finish the race.
Despite that, his participation marked a major milestone, as he became the first-ever Mosotho to compete in an international rowing competition, setting a new benchmark in the nation’s sporting history.
Speaking to the Lesotho Times this week after returning from South Africa, Senekane said that although he made a few mistakes, he felt honoured to be the first athlete to hoist Lesotho’s flag on an international rowing stage.
He described the experience as a valuable learning curve, noting that it was his first time competing in coastal rowing, a discipline quite different from the flat-water rowing he is used to.
“I am the first athlete to represent Lesotho on the international stage in rowing, and I feel honoured and proud,” Senekane said.
“The experience was quite different from what I am used to because we were doing something new in coastal rowing. Here at home, due to our geographical position, we do not have oceans — but we do have plenty of dams, so we can only practice classic flat-water rowing regularly.”
Despite it being his international debut and his first exposure to coastal rowing, Senekane impressed many with his skill and composure.
“My performance surprised a lot of people as they did not expect me to perform the way I did. I was praised for my speed, efficiency, and strength,” he said.
Born in Thaba-Tseka and now based in Maseru, Senekane has never looked back since he was discovered by the Lesotho Rowing Federation (LRF) through his school, Montessori International School, in 2024.
“I got into rowing through my school, Montessori International School. I had already proven to be a strong swimmer, and when the rowing federation scouts were recruiting, they preferred swimmers because it’s a safety requirement. As I trained more, I began to enjoy the sport.”
Senekane believes rowing is not just a sport but a foundation for personal development, offering both physical and mental benefits.
Looking ahead, he is optimistic about Lesotho’s potential to become one of Africa’s leading rowing nations.
“In the next few years, I would like to see the Lesotho Rowing Federation among the top five in Africa. I believe Lesotho has great potential to excel internationally because our high altitude gives us a competitive advantage when we compete elsewhere,” he said.
