Sport

Barry gives a helping hand to Commonwealth Games visitors from Botswana

Glamorgan Star news 02/08/2022

2 minutes read

Members of Barry Athletic with the Botswana team.

Barry gives a helping hand to Commonwealth Games visitors from Botswana:

SPORT | Bowls

The Barry Athletics Bowls Club has hosted the women’s bowls team representing Botswana in the Commonwealth games.

This year’s Commonwealth Games began last Friday (29th July) in Birmingham. Many teams from around the Commonwealth have been staying in different parts of the UK before the games began, and the Barry Athletics Bowls Club were delighted to provide a practice space for the ladies of the Botswana bowls team.

The four bowlers, Marea Modutlwa, Tshenolo Moshokgo, Boikhutso Mooketsi, and Lesego Motladiile, arrived in Barry on 12th July and began practicing at the club on the following day.

After visiting various clubs during the World Bowls Atlantic Championships in 2019, the team decided that the Barry Athletic Bowls club was their favourite, so when asked which club they would like to be hosted by this year, they chose Barry.

The women were excited to explore Barry and were already mesmerised by the beautiful views. When they arrived they headed out for fish and chips (which they enjoyed) but they had healthier foods throughout the rest of their stay. The four ladies like visiting Barry and said that “the people in Barry are so friendly and inviting. The hospitality we have received has been out of this world.”

The team representing Botswana was announced in May this year and they will compete in the women’s fours and women’s triples lawn bowls events. Marea has been to the Commonwealth games before and is excited to return whereas this will be the first time for her teammates. They said: “We are excited to compete this year but also nervous as it is the biggest competition we have competed in.”

The Botswana bowls team are hoping to take home a medal for their country at the Commonwealth games this year for the first time since 1986, when Flora Anderson won a bronze medal in the women’s singles lawn bowls event. But for the 2022 Botswana team, it is not all about the prize. Lesego told the Glamorgan Star: “I am looking forward to experiencing this event for the first time and being able to mingle with other athletes. This is a new experience for me and I want to learn what it means to be at the Commonwealth games.”