Botswana invests in future stars with Nairobi youth athletics seminar

By Maxwell Kumoye 

 

 

 

The Botswana Athletics Association has taken a significant step toward building its next generation of track and field stars, dispatching a four-member delegation to Nairobi for the ongoing Youth Athletics Development Seminar.

The programme, running from April 7–11, features two promising 17-year-old athletes, Game Onneile of Tati Athletics Club and Sarona Mokgwaosele of Jwaneng Athletics Club, alongside coaches Tshepiso Kashiwa and Keene Motukisi, who are tasked with sharpening both technical and developmental expertise.

The initiative is part of the wider Africa Youth Athlete Development Project, a continental effort designed to prepare emerging talents for the 2026 IOC Youth Olympic Games.

In Nairobi, participants are being exposed to a blend of elite coaching education and athlete-focused learning, drawing from the globally recognised World Athletics CECS framework. 

The curriculum goes beyond track performance, incorporating modules on safeguarding, anti-doping awareness, nutrition, and personal brand development, key areas considered vital for modern athletes.

For Botswana, the seminar represents more than just a training camp; it is an investment in long-term excellence. 

By equipping both athletes and coaches with up-to-date knowledge and practical skills, the federation aims to strengthen its competitiveness on the international stage, particularly ahead of Dakar 2026.

The broader vision of the project is to widen access to such opportunities across Africa, ensuring that more young athletes are adequately prepared for their first taste of global competition while laying the foundation for sustained success in their sporting careers.