By Leemisa Thuseho
THE Lesotho Lawn Tennis Association (LLTA) has named its final four-member team to represent the country at the upcoming African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Games.
The Under-20 regional multi-sport event, which rotates among participating countries, will take place in Maputo, Mozambique, from 4 to 13 December.
The LLTA has selected Phuthi Leshoele and Lindiwe Nkanda to represent the country in the women's category, while Thabo Chimombe and Kamohelo Mathibela will compete in the men's category.
The team will be guided by coaches Bishop Mosebi and ‘Mankopane Nkuatsana.
LLTA Public Relations Officer, Mathealira Chaka, confirmed the selection to the Sunday Express on Friday, saying the players had already begun preparations under the guidance of their coaches.
"We have finalised our team of four players, and they have already started working hard with their coaches," Chaka told the Sunday Express.
"The coaches met with the players yesterday (Saturday) and will meet with them again today (Sunday)."
Chaka expressed confidence in the selected players, describing them as the best team to represent the country and expressing hope that they would return home with medals.
Meanwhile, Lesotho is set to compete in only eight sporting codes at the AUSC Region 5 Games, significantly fewer than the country would have preferred.
One of the most notable omissions is mainstream athletics, a sport that has traditionally featured prominently in Lesotho's delegations at major international multi-sport competitions.
Instead, the country's athletics representation will be limited to visually impaired athletes, while Special Olympics athletes competing in events for athletes with intellectual disabilities have also been included.
The other sporting codes in which Lesotho will compete are boxing, netball, football, judo, table tennis, lawn tennis and taekwondo.
However, the country will miss out on several other disciplines on the Games' programme, including basketball, karate, swimming and volleyball.
Team Lesotho Head of Delegation, Refiloe Maphallela, previously told this publication that financial constraints had forced the country to limit its participation to just eight sporting codes.
He said he would have preferred to include all the sporting codes initially considered for the Maputo Games.