Moorosi Tsiane
LESOTHO athletes will be out in different international competitions starting tomorrow until Tuesday.
The senior national netball team is in Cape Town where it will compete in the Africa Netball Cup that starts tomorrow ends on Tuesday.
The team is making its return to the international stage after a long absence. The side finally left the country for Cape Town on Tuesday following a period of uncertainty due to unavailability of funds.
The team therefore had shoddy preparations and has unfortunately, been thrust into the deep end considering that it will play against heavyweights like South Africa and Malawi who participated in the Netball World Cup in the United Kingdom in July this year.
This means our girls’ character will be put to the test and a baptism of fire awaits them in Cape Town.
However, this tournament will hopefully, give them the much-needed exposure especially the under-21 girls who are part of the team and are also preparing for next year’s African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Games penned in for Maseru.
I wish the girls all the best and I hope they rise to the occasion although I know that it will not be easy given the status of some of their opponents.
On Saturday Lesotho Pump Track specialist Mosito Mohapi will also compete in the Red Bull Pump Track World Championship in Switzerland.
There is no doubt that Mohapi will realise his dream at the race being the first Mosotho to compete in the tournament.
The Roma born youngster qualified for the competition in March this year and as part of his preparations for the finals, he participated in the South African qualifiers in Pretoria in August.
This is surely a life time opportunity for this starlet. I am happy that he got a glimpse of how the competition will be like in Switzerland at the Pretoria tournament.
The sport was introduced in the country just three years ago and getting a podium finish will be a bonus for Mohapi. Even if he does not get a podium finish, the experience and exposure will go a long way in helping him become a better athlete as he is also still young.
Lastly, the senior national football team will play a make or break CHAN qualifier against Zimbabwe at the Setsoto Stadium. The Thabo Senong coached side goes into the match on the back of a 1-1 draw with Malawi in a friendly at Setsoto on Sunday.
Likuena lost the first leg 3-1 last month and will have to win the Sunday tie by a two-goal margin to secure a place at the tournament that will be played in January and February 2020 in Cameroon.
Zimbabwe are not going to be push overs and this means it will take Likuena nerves of steel to win the encounter. If they qualify, then Likuena would have made history becoming the first side to reach the continental tournament.
Best of luck to Senong and his charges.
