Mmegi

Swimming Association elects new leadership

Kgaotsang Mathews replaces Andrew Freeman as the new president after beating Gondo Gondo in a poll

BG Coorespondent

development programs and source funds for the so we need a secretariat, it is a priority area,” she association, as her main priorities in the two ( 2) added. She underlined that being the president, years of her tenancy as the BSSA President. “We positions her to take a leading role in making have got top swimmers, young swimmers who key decisions which would see her serve the asneed our assistance. Identifying those swimmers sociation in a much better capacity than in her and taking them to the next level in accordance previous role as the Secretary General. “When with our strategy, a lot of things we got in our you are a Secretary General, you’re the heartbeat strategy is about development. of information conduit but you don’t directly

The main ingredient to a lot of things that need lead where the ship is going; you can’t lead from to happen is funding, that is the one thing that can underneath. It is a completely different environstagnate our efforts if we don’t get funding. Fundment when you are a president compared to being ing is in two folds; funding to run the association, a Secretary General. This time around I am in a that one is not too difficult because some of our better position to move and implement some key resolutions taken during the AGM to help us get ideas that I wouldn’t have been able to exercise more funding. I am not talking about funding before.” Mathews further expressed concern that from Botswana National Sport Commission. some swimmers tend to quit the sport when they

The other funding is the one that seeks to are expected to become top professionals. She said help us drive some objectives in our strategy. We the association is contemplating to have athletes need funding to support our strategy,” Mathews commission which will help athletes to be better Glory to Glody

outlined some key areas of her interest to develop served and monitored to ensure their longevity in the sport. The new BSSA President added that the sport. “This is a concern not only to us but it the funding from BNSC is not enough and reis also a concern to World Aquatics also, so it is vealed that World Swimming Sport Association a requirement for us to ensure that we set up an

( FINA) have availed some funds which could also athletes commission that will assist us in evaluatboost their efforts to develop the sport. “First ing and finding ways to retain our swimmers and

The new leadership in Botswana Swimming and foremost, we need to make sure that we are ensure their future engagements/ contributions

Sport Association ( BSSA) is expected to bring ready to receive funding, that means having our to the development of the sport. There are many about renewed hope through implementation finances and budgeting in order. We will go out on ways of ensuring that, either as professionals or of the association’s revised strategies in order to a campaign to source funding, particularly by encoaches and other roles, we need to create that propel the sport towards positive change. The gaging and networking with former partners and environment, it is imperative,” she concluded. local aquatic sport governing body held their associates to see how they can assist, we will have Mathews’ next key focus will also be on helping annual elective general assembly, a confluence packages that fall within their capacities to assist,” local athletes qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. which saw former Secretary General of the asshe explained when quizzed on how they intend Back in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Botswana was

Botswana’s first Olympics

sociation, Kgaotsang Mathews, beat the challenge to improve the financial status of the association. represented by James Freeman while Naomi Ruele from former BSSA Additional Member, Gondo “We definitely need a secretariat that will take missed out through injury. Maxine Egner and

Gondo and ascended to presidency. Mathews, care of issues relating to daily operations of the ofAndile Becker are some of the young swimmers who takes the baton from Andrew Freeman has fice, board executive members are volunteers and who potentially could be set to seriously challenge vowed to place significant emphasis on athletes’ they are not solely focused on running swimming for an Olympic slot.

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2023-06-09T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-09T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://enews.mmegi.bw/article/281831468130293

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