Seabata Mahao
The government of Lesotho has rewarded three athletes who will represent the nation at the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
The athletes, two of which are marathoners, Mokulubete Makatisi and Tebello Ramakongoana, along with taekwondo star Michelle Tau, each received M50 000 as a token of appreciation from the government for qualifying for the global event.
These athletes are the only ones from Lesotho to qualify for the Olympic Games, scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024. The rewards were announced in their absence during a press conference held earlier this week at the offices of the Ministry of Tourism, Sports, Arts and Culture in Maseru.
Currently, the athletes are training abroad with Tau training in Spain, Makatisi in South Africa, while Tebello Ramakongoana is currently based in the United States ahead of the Olympic Games.
During in his remarks, the Minister of Sports, Motlatsi Maqelepo, stated that the money was a token of appreciation for the athletes’ achievement in qualifying for the Olympics. He expressed confidence that the funds would boost their morale and serve as motivation for other athletes.
“We are aware of the challenges and how difficult it is for an athlete to end up qualifying for the Olympic Games. We have decided to reward each of the qualified athletes with M50 000. They will receive the money even before they leave for the games. It has nothing to do with how they will perform in Paris so we are just saying thank you for qualifying for the games,” Maqelepo said.
He emphasised the pride these athletes have brought to Lesotho by securing their spots at the Olympics and the importance of increasing the number of qualified athletes in the future.
“These athletes have made Lesotho proud. If they didn’t qualify, Lesotho would not be represented there. We believe this will motivate them,” Maqelepo added.
“In future, the number should increase and we are happy that the three athletes qualified. But having only three players going to the Olympic Games is not something we should be proud of. If we are realistic, we must agree that there must be more we can do as a country to increase the number. With initiatives like this, I think we can achieve more and promote patriotism.”
In addition, Maqelepo announced that Tau would receive a further M30 000 from the government for winning a bronze medal at the Africa Games held from March 8 -23 in Ghana this year.