Poor Attendance Mars BCA National Champs

RASESA: The Botswana Cycling Association (BCA) Individual Time Trial (ITT) and Team Time Trial (TTT) national championship that was held here yesterday did not attract many cyclists contrary to expectations. However, BCA president, Mmetla Masire told Sport Monitor that some of the cyclists did not participate in the national championship because they took part in the Majwe Mining Albert Milton (Majwe-AM570) cycling challenge that ended on Saturday. He said the less numbers were also not surprising because of the COVID-19 outbreak. “The cyclists could not attend the championship because they were tired. Fitness level is low for other cyclists because this race needs a high fitness level. However, there was an improvement in team trial numbers compared to last year,” he said.

Masire said normally the ITT and TTT are held earlier than December but they had to force it to be held yesterday.

Masire also explained that in time trials, a cyclist competes against the clock and there is no support from other teammates. Bakang Ebudilwe of Tsela Riders club continued to dominate the elite women’s category finishing in the first position with a time of 00:49:23. Anouk van der Geest followed her in the second position. Speaking to Sport Monitor afterwards, Ebudilwe said she did not get enough competition because other cyclists did not attend the event.

“I did not have competition at all so it was an easy ride. Despite that, it was bit windy. We do not have time trials more often, but my overall performance graph has gone up since after lockdown. I have been doing well in the past races and my time has improved,” she said. Ebudilwe said she was demoralised during lockdown because she had no reason to train. Meanwhile, Ebudilwe is preparing to qualify for Tokyo 2020 Olympics. “Women have not given me the kind of competition that I need at this stag,e hence most of the time I compete with the boys. Preparations for the qualifiers are going well and I am currently on camp,” Ebudilwe said. For her part, van der Geest said she has realised it is impossible to win without training. “I have been gone for three years, and I am pleased that women are coming and putting pressure and I cannot win anymore. As a former coach to most of them, they are ahead of me and I love it,” she said. For her part, Naomi Sephekolo of Tsela Riders who won the women’s Under 23 race with a time of 1:02:35 said it was a tough race but the challenge was the wind towards the finish line. “The competition was tough because I was racing in a different category. I had to be in the elite group because the number of women was not enough. I was to race in the Under 23,” Sephekolo said. Meanwhile, Lebopo Mompe scooped the junior men’s category with a time of 00:42:21. Myra Mantle finished her race in 00:30:31 in the junior female section while Thata Molale won the men’s elite race with a time of 00:59:29.