Leemisa Thuseho
NATIONAL Paralympics Committee of Lesotho (NAPCOL) Treasurer Thabiso Ratšoane says Lesotho has been invited for the South Africa Sport Association for Physically Disabled (SASAPD) championships in Port Elizabeth next March.
Ratšoane told the Sunday Express on Friday that they requested for the invitation in order to use their participation as qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
This after the Morocco 2020 African Para Games penciled in for January in Rabat were cancelled due to unspecified internal challenges.
“We proposed to compete at the games so that they give us a platform for the Paralympic Games qualifiers,” Ratšoane said.
“The Morocco games were the only Paralympic Games qualifiers left since the World Paralympics Athletics Championships were held in Dubai early last year.”
He said since South Africa is closer to home, they hope to send at least 10 athletes.
Due to the financial challenges that NAPCOL is currently facing, he said they have already submitted their request for financial assistance to the Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission (LSRC).
In the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Lesotho was only represented by two athletes and Ratšoane says this year they are targeting to ensure that at least five athletes qualify for the 2020 Paralympic Games.
So far Litšitso Khotlele is the only athlete who has qualified for the Tokyo games after her outstanding performance at the World Paralympics Athletics Championships in Dubai. Khotlele qualified in both women discus and shotput.
After the cancellation of the Morocco games, Ratšoane said the African Paralympic Committee (APC) has informed the national paralympic committees that another host could still be found. He however, said the new host would then move the games to March to allow them ample preparation time.
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