21 Mar 2024

Boxing is one code in Botswana, which has always won medals in international competitions. 

But this is not the case this time around at the ongoing 13^th edition of the African Games in Accra, Ghana.

This time, boxing only managed to salvage a bronze medal courtesy of Keamogetse Kenosi.

She won a bronze after losing 5-0 to Algeria’s Selmounia Chahiri in the 57kg women semi-final bout.

En route to the semi final, she disposed off South Africa’s Sbusisiwe Mnguni.

Even though the team had experienced boxers in the likes of George Molwantwa and Rajab Mahommed, it failed to deliver.

The team had prior to the games, had a two-week training camp in Zambia, to prepare for coming face to face with their African counterparts.

In the last games held in Morocco in 2019, Mahommed and Kenosi won gold medals.

In this edition, the competition looked tough to some of the local lads. But the team started well with Mmoloki Sekwaipe forcing the referee to stop the contest against Wisdom Barnor of Sierra Leone in the men’s 57kg preliminaries round of 16. 

In the quarterfinals, Sekwaipe, then lost the bout 4-1 against Zambia’s Albert Ngulube. 

In the 48kg preliminaries round of 16, Molatlhegi Kobamelo lost 4-1 to Tulembekwa Zola Livens of Congo. 

In the 54kg women quarterfinals, Pheki Bele lost 5-2 against Kenyan Amina Martha Faki while in the men’s category, George Molwantwa lost 4-3 to Azoui Imad of Morocco. Meanwhile, the Botswana Taekwondo men also finished the individual fight without winning a medal. 

In the men’s under 80kg category, Ernest Samotshozo lost 2-0 to Nigeria’s Peter Ituku in a quarterfinal round of 16 while  Kitso Kula lost 2-1 against Ndofusu Kinsama of Democratic Republic of Congo. ENDS