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Clifton Meshack is 2020 UB Sports Star of the Year

Clifton Meshack is this year’s University of Botswana Sports Star of the Year. Meshack was bestowed the title at the UB Sports and Recreation Awards held at the Campus Indoor Sports Centre on June 16, 2020.

The awards are an annual event organised by the Department of Culture, Sports and Recreation to honour and recognise sports and recreation student athletes’ achievements. Other stakeholders are also acknowledged for their immense contribution towards the success of sports at UB as well.

There were 19 categories from which students’ performances and achievements from 2018/2019 to May 2020 were awarded prizes. Meshack became the toast of the day, scooping two of the most coveted awards, UB Sportsman of the Year and UB Sports Star of the Year.

There was reason to. Meshack is no ordinary UB athlete. He is Botswana Tertiary Students Sports Association (BOTESSA) Male Best Athlete of the Year - Athletics. He is also BOTESSA National Championships 400m Men gold medalist and 4x400m Men relay gold medalist.

Meshack further qualified for the International University Sports Federation World University Games (FISU 2019) where he went on to become 400m Men semi finalist and 4x400m Men finalist. Further in 2019, Meshack became Botswana Athletics Association National Championships 400m Men finalist.

Meanwhile, another athlete who walked away with two awards was Motlatsi Rante after she was voted UB Freshman of the Year (Female) and UB Sports Woman of the Year. Other winners who carried the day, were Kesaobaka Mathibe who was voted UB Sports Person with Disability, Onkarabile Kevin Ntsimane who got the Spirit of UB Sport Award and Kealeboga Balemogi who was bestowed UB Freshman of the Year (male).

UB Sports Leadership Award went to Sekgabo Seselamarumo (swimming) while Anthony O. Akpata (basketball) scooped Volunteer Coach of the Year Award. Sports Journalist of the Year was a tie between Bakang Tiro of The Patriot on Sunday newspaper and Anastacia Sibanda of Botswana Press Agency (BOPA). 

The Director Special Award went to Kesaobaka Metsi for his immense contribution towards UB sport development. Metsi is also Student Representative Council Vice President. Sports Volunteer of the Year Award went to Oratile Oarata Kgokong (physician education).

In other categories Volleyball was voted UB Team of the Year (male) with Chess scooping The Most Improved Team of the Year Award (male) while Netball clinched the latter award in the female category and topping it up with UB Team of the Year (female). Block 479 and Block 468 scooped the Best LLC House of the Year Award in the male and female categories respectively.

The Most Improved Club of the Year Award went to UB Swimming Team while BOPA walked away with Media House of the Year Award. In the UB Sports Club of the Year category the female winners were UB Kicks Football Club while in the male category winners were UB Athletics Club.

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