Junior fencers set eyes on Namibia
Sparking life into the seldom discussed sport of fencing, the founder of Thobega Fencing Academy, Karabo Thobega, has sharpened three of his best students’ skills to duel in the Namibian Open Fencing Championships on April 30. Retabile Mabaka, Lebone Mosinyi, and Alakanani Warona aged 13, 14, and 17 respectively, will be Botswana’s representatives at the championships in Windhoek, Namibia.
Despite their age seemingly lending itself to indicate a lack of experience, each of the boys has no less than half a decade of fencing experience, of which their master Thobega feels confident will reflect in the boys performance. “I believe these three boys are the upcoming stars of the Botswana Fencing Federation.
These boys will be the very people that bring Botswana medals from the Olympics when they start to compete at senior level,” Thobega said. “I’m expecting three medals from Lebone, two medals from Alakanani who will be competing in the Under-21 category and three medals from Retabile,” he added.
The performance of the boys at the championships will be aimed at drawing more attention to the often under-funded sport.
Thobega referenced the lack of interest in the sport locally often being tied to the preconceived socio-economic and racial status quo of the sport. He said his academy exists to make
the sport accessible to all, to the extent of making membership to his academy free for all in 2022. Thereafter, a modest P300 monthly fee is applicable.
The academy currently teaches 12 pupils, of which six are currently active in local and
international fencing. The club previously had intensions to expand across the country to bring fencing closer to all Batswana. However the onset of the global pandemic and lack of support from the government has delayed progress. The academy is currently open to taking as many young pupils as possible with Thobega recommending that the best time to start the sport is at a fairly young age. “We start training children at four-years-old, whether you’re 22 or older we freely accept training anyone at any age,” he said.