BY SABELO GWEBU
SPORTS – Through the Eswatini Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (EOCGA), six athletes have been awarded Olympic Solidarity scholarships in preparation for the Olympic Games in 2024 to be staged in France.
Paris will host the XXXIII Olympic Games from July 26 to August 11, 2024. Basically, the scholarship covers for the athletes training programme and costs of attending international competitions and the benefiting sporting codes for the country are athletics, swimming, boxing and taekwondo.
“Following a vigorous application process, a total of six local top athletes from four different sporting codes were granted Olympic scholarships. EOCGA takes this opportunity to congratulate these athletes for this honour and privilege, and we further challenge them to handle these scholarships with care,” EOCGA Chief Executive Officer Maxwell Jele told delegates during Sunday’s Annual General Meeting at Happy Valley Hotel, Ezulwini.
Jele said this is a massive investment from Olympic Solidarity and as such, all obligations by the athletes ought to be met fully to ensure that the principal objective is met.
“We will continue with our quarterly reviews to ensure close monitoring and oversight,” he said.
Sprinter Sibusiso ‘Swazi Bolt’ Matsenjwa who reached the finals of the Tokyo 2022 Olympics is part of the benefiting list alongside upcoming female short distance runner Bongiwe Mahlalela.
BENEFITING ATHLETES
| NAME | GENDER | CODE |
| Sibusiso Matsenjwa | Male | Athletics |
| Bongiwe Mahlalela | Female | Athletics |
| Simanga Dlamini | Male | Swimming |
| Hayley Hoy | Female | Swimming |
| Thabiso Dlamini | Male | Boxing |
| Carlota Munave | Female | Taekwondo |
