23 Apr 2024

 Local boxers who are in the national team performed exceptionally well at the just concluded Mandela African Boxing Cup in Durban, South Africa. 

Of the eight boxers who represented the country, six managed to get medals being a gold, silver and four bronze medals. Overall Botswana finished in sixth position. 

Mmoloki Sekwaipe (57kg) staged an impressive performance to get the country’s only gold medal at the cup while Kobamelo Molatlhegi (48kg) lost the final match and settled for a silver medal. 

He lost to Lesotho’s Retselisitsoe Kolobe. The referee stopped the contest in the last round after Molatlhegi sustained an injury. 

The quartet of Phekie Bele (54kg), George Molwantwa (54kg), Rajab Mahommad (52kg) and Sekhutlo Kutlwano (63kg) settled for bronze medals. 

Bele and Kutlwano lost 0-5 to Asefa Abate of Ethiopia and Mbamba Merville of the Democratic Republic of Congo respectively. 

Molwantwa lost to Dyeyi Amzolele of South Africa in a bout that its verdict was decided by the referee stopping the contest, while Mohammed was defeated 1-4 by Miguel Kembo of Angola. 

The duo of Kabelo Seitshiro and Keamogetse Kenosi(57kg) were eliminated in the quarter finals. 

The team’s coach Thebe Setlalekgosi said all the six boxers that managed to bring home medals fought hard to get to the medal zone. 

Enroute to the final, Setlalekgosi said Molatlhegi had to settle a score with Africa Games silver  medalist, defeating him in the semi final bout. 

He said the feat was a sign of improvement. 

Despite coming home empty handed from the African Games, Setlalekgosi said he took a decision to move Sekwaipe a division up, a change that was fruitful as he was able to defeat an African Games silver medalist in the semifinal to book himself a place at the final. 

He said in the final match, Sekwaipe had a walk over because his opponent, Sanele Socgwayi form South Africa got a cut injury and the doctor ruled him out. 

Comparing their performance with that of the African Games, Setlalekgosi said all the boxers displayed maturity and some level of improvement. 

“We need more of such competitions for our boxers to improve,” he said. 

Even though impressed with the performance of his boxers, he said Sekhutlo’s feat of getting a bronze medal was outstanding and a sign that she was destined to do more in future. 

“She won her first bout at the cup, showing that given a chance, she will surely improve her performance,” he said. 

The boxers were among the 363 boxers of males and females from 41 African countries at the seven-day tournament.

The cup also featured boxers from Afghanistan and Bangladesh. ENDS