Leemisa Thuseho
SENIOR men’s and women’s national badminton teams will depart the country tomorrow (Friday) for the 2026 All Africa Senior Championships to be held in Gaborone, Botswana.
The championships, scheduled for 9–15 February 2026, are a high-level continental event organised by the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) and are expected to attract top players from across the continent.
Lesotho has selected a strong six-member men’s team comprising Mokhali Maleke, Neo Rahlolo, Katleho Mohapi, Limpho Matlosa, Neo Tsokelo and Rethabile Sehole. The players will compete in singles, doubles and mixed doubles events.
The women’s team consists of Lerato Matlosa, Thato Talejane, Kelumetse Moeletsi and Khahliso Khetheng, who will also participate in singles, doubles and mixed doubles competitions.
The team will be led by head coach Nyakallo Seboka.
Departing on Friday, the delegation is expected to arrive in Botswana on Saturday. The team will observe a rest day on Sunday before the championships officially get underway on Monday.
Lesotho Badminton Association (LESBAD) secretary-general Moorosi Tsiane said the players were selected based on their national rankings.
“While most of them will be making their debut on the international stage, players such as Rahlolo and Maleke already have international experience,” Tsiane told the Lesotho Times.
“The selection reflects a balance between experience and emerging talent, and we expect our athletes to compete strongly against Africa’s top badminton players.”
Tsiane explained that rankings earned through local and international competitions play a key role in team selection.
“Whenever we participate in tournaments locally or outside the country, athletes earn ranking points. This makes selection easier, as we simply pick players based on their rankings,” he said.
However, he noted that some strong performers failed to make the team due to work and school commitments, as well as delays in passport issuance.
Tsiane said while the association is focused on exposing players to international competition and improving their competitiveness, it is not placing undue pressure on them to deliver immediate results.
“This international event provides a valuable platform for our athletes to gain exposure and compete at a high level. It is especially important because we struggle to take them to competitions outside the country.
“To address this challenge, we are planning to enrol our teams in several competitions taking place in South Africa’s Free State province.”
He added that lack of facilities remains one of the major challenges facing badminton in Lesotho.
“Last weekend we were supposed to host the national championships, but we had to postpone them due to the unavailability of a suitable venue.”
