Boitlamo Nkele captured the ladies' singles championship at the 11th Dithubaruba Table Tennis Club Open in Molepolole, Botswana. AllAfrica reported that the event drew 90 athletes from various clubs, including junior and senior competitors from Namibia and Nigeria. Nkele, a member of both the junior and senior national squads, defeated Tshepiso Rebatenne of Nhabe Table Tennis Club in the final. The match concluded 3-1 in Nkele's favor, securing her the gold medal and P2,000 in prize money.
The Dithubaruba Table Tennis Club organized the tournament with Boitekanelo College, under the oversight of the Botswana Table Tennis Association. Athletes from the Bontleng/Ithuteng project dominated the women's singles event, taking three of the four medals. In other divisions, Ghayouri Kamrouz from Namibia took the Under-19 boys' crown, while Carol David of Bontleng/Ithuteng won the Under-19 girls' category. Tshireletso Samuel of BDF Table Tennis Club took the men's singles title, and he and his partner Sibongile Six won the mixed doubles gold.
Zacharia Seabo, tournament director and DTTC team manager, noted a rise in entries, especially among male players. He highlighted the inclusion of mixed doubles as a notable change, given the event's rarity in local play despite its international presence. Seabo explained that this addition aims to prepare national team members for the demands of mixed doubles at World Table Tennis Contenders events. He stated that international participation, particularly in the junior boys' section, offered local players a preview of the competition they will encounter at these global events.
Seabo also emphasized the club's aim to expand table tennis beyond Gaborone, making it more accessible to players in the Kweneng region. However, he expressed concern about low youth participation, linking this partly to the decline of school sports. He observed that junior events continue to draw largely the same faces from specific clubs like Bontleng/Ithuteng, Maikano, and Smash Maniacs. Financial constraints were cited as a key hurdle, with Seabo noting that the club often must fund these competitions independently to maintain them.