MOTOR SPORTS
The president of Botswana Motor Sports, Pearl Lebatha, has called on Batswana to join the sport in large numbers.
Lebatha said that even though foreigners brought the sport into the country during the 80’s, the number of citizens participating in the sport is low. Lebatha said that just like football which has its origins outside the country, Batswana are free to join the sport en masse to make it a truly citizen sport code.
“I have observed a worrying trend where a lot of people involved in motor sports are foreigners, a scenario I want reversed. I therefore invite Batswana to join the sport in large numbers,” she said.
Lebatha told BG Sports that motor sports became an affiliate of Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) in 2004 but already have athletes based outside the country who are excelling.
One such athlete is Carr Lebatha from Gaborone, who is based in South Africa. In his first season outside Botswana he rode for Bad Boy Honda Motor Cross Team in the South African Circuit and made an immediate impact in 2009.
Lebatha was awarded the Rider of the Year Floating Trophy and the most improved rider in the Eastern Cape and Border Region.
Another athlete performing wonders and also based in South Africa is Ross Branch, who is involved in Dirt Circuit Races. He won the African Motorcycle Union (AMU) Motorcross Championship last year in July and swept the Namibian inter series with a maximum number of points in October.
Branch continued with his great performance in Belgium at the World Championship where he attained position 22.
Lebatha told BG Sport that they were on a major drive of taking the sport outside cities and towns for talent identification purposes.
