13 Mar 2025

Women who excelled in different sporting codes last year will be reward for their hard work in a ceremony to be held on March 22 at Lekidi thanks to the Vunani Annual Botswana Women Sports Awards.
Speaking at the event to reveal the nominees, Inside BW Women Sports director, Portia Mlilo expressed satisfaction with the work done by adjudicators who were tasked to select the nominees.
She said the main objective of the awards was to celebrate excellence in women sports, adding that the awards also paid tribute to men who had and continue to make significant contributions to the growth of women sports in Botswana as well as organisations that have prioritised women sports as part of their strategies.
She said this year’s edition will be held under the theme: Towards a Safer Playing Field, explaining that this was meant to demonstrate the potential of sports in combating gender-based violence (GBV).  
“Let’s use sports to spread the message of the fight against GBV. There is sexual violence, harassment and cyber abuse in sports, and this affects athletes psychologically.
“This contributes to the decline in the girl child’s and women’s participation in sports, while in actual fact they must feel safe in the sports field,” she said.
Vunani Fund Managers finance manager, Tefo Lebati, said the company initially invested P45 000 into the then Annual Botswana Women Sports Awards.
 “We were intrigued by the story behind the inception of the project, and the evident intention  to contribute significantly to the growth of women sports in Botswana,” he said.
Meanwhile for the Young Promising Athlete award, Malak Macheng of tennis with battle with Sethunya Majama of athletics, and Maya Otimile of chess. For the Sportswoman of the Year category, there is Ekua Youri of tennis, Oratile Nowe of athletics and Natalie Banda of chess.
He for She Champion category has pitted Ofentse Bakwadi of karate, Collar Masimakoko of athletics, and Podungwane Lesole of chess.
The hotly contested will be umpire of the year where there is Gaone Poane of tennis, Dorothy Okatch of basketball and Ritah Nthaga of tennis.
The Administrator of the Year will be contested for by Sharon Keakae of Special Olympics, Ounami Mhotsha of golf, and Tshegofatso Malepa of table tennis.
 There were no nominees for the Sportswoman with Disability of the Year, and the Coach of the Year award. ENDS