WE HAVE TO SET OUR OWN STANDARDS IN SPORTS-NKUOATSANA

The newly established Sports and Recreation Commission says for sports to develop and be in par with international world, the country has to set high standards which they have to meet. This was said by the  Sports and Recreation Commission Public Relations Officer Mr. Makara Nkuoatsana on Tuesday after the country participated in the Eighth All Africa Games hosted by Nigeria three weeks ago. He also insisted that  various sports codes have to set high standards which they have to meet.

The Sports Commission PRO  said local athletes have to know regional, continental and world records, which they have to beat in international tournaments like the All Africa Games or Olympic Games in order to succeed. Mr. Nkuoatsana said in order to achieve the goals they have set; they need the support and positive attitude from the government as well as the business community.

He said the six medals this country has brought from Nigeria is the indication of the  potential Lesotho has in sports despite many constraints and obstacles they had to encounter before the continental showpiece.
Mr. Nkuoatsana pointed out that they knew hardly a month prior to the Games that they would be taking part after being told by the Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sports and Recreation that they would not be participating. "This shows that had we known in time that we would be taking part and prepared well, we could have done much better and brought more gold medals," he remarked. He said many sports codes stopped training after they were told that they would never go to Nigeria hence why their performance was not up to standard.

However, Mr. Nkuatsana highlighted that they still have to work on their coaching and administrative expertise in order to challenge the top countries in sports. Mr. Nkuoatsana said the country through the Sports and Recreation Commission, has to identify a strong and competitive country which they could establish good working relationship whereby exchange programmes in all the aspects of the games in order to uplift Lesotho's technical know-how in sports. He said two athletes in taekwando have already qualified for the 2004 Olympic games to be staged in Athens, they should have started at least three years ago to prepare fully for the event if they are to bring gold medals home.
 

Out of the Africa's 52 nations that took part in the Eighth All Africa Games, Lesotho became 16th with six medals of two gold, one silver and three bronze medals, three less than the previous tournament hosted by South Africa.

21 October 2003