- Despite limited preparation, Botswana’s beach volleyball duo secured a historic victory in Maputo, signaling progress for the country in the regional game
GAZETTE REPORTER
Even after delivering a historic performance for Botswana by defeating Mozambique in the final to clinch the gold medal at the CAVB Zone 6 Beach Volleyball 2nd Leg in Maputo, George Chiswaniso said the team entered the tournament with limited preparation.
Chiswaniso, who partnered with Sekao Boifang Jack in the competition, said balancing beach volleyball with indoor commitments made it difficult to prepare fully.
“We are very happy for our performance even though our preparations were not satisfactory,” Chiswaniso said in a telephone interview with this publication.
He explained that both players are also committed to indoor volleyball teams, which often take priority because of employment arrangements linked to those clubs.
“That is due to the fact that with us playing beach volleyball we also play indoor volleyball and we have teams that we are committed to,” he said. “That is due to the fact that they are our employers or have looked for jobs for us.”
Because of those commitments, the players are required to train and compete with their indoor teams.
“So we have to be committed to them, that means we have indoor games we have to be there and train with them,” Chiswaniso said. “Not that we are complaining — no — we are grateful to them and at the same time we have to also train for beach volleyball.”
Next Assignments
Chiswaniso said the victory has already drawn recognition from the Botswana National Sport Commission, which has arranged a training camp for the pair in Angola from April 1 to April 6, 2026.
After the training camp, the team is expected to travel back to Mozambique later in April for the Africa Cup qualifiers.
Tournament Progress
Botswana’s victory marked a milestone for the Botswana Volleyball Federation, which sent two teams to the competition.
Both teams showed improvement compared with their performance in the first leg of the tournament held in Windhoek, Namibia.
The duo of Trevor Mandua and Baleofi Mosiiwa progressed to the quarterfinals before losing to a strong Mozambique side.
Meanwhile, the senior pairing of Jack and Chiswaniso advanced through the tournament with consistency, eventually defeating Mozambique in the final to secure the gold medal.
Their victory capped a campaign defined by resilience and teamwork.