04 Feb 2016

The Botswana boxing team recorded a sterling performance at the Zone VI tournament that took place recently in Maputo, Mozambique.

The showing earned the boxing team yet another chance to defend the championship, which they won last year in Pretoria, South Africa.

Botswana emerged winners ahead of South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zambia.

The team consisted of 10 athletes.  Koketso Dipugiso (50kg) and Keneilwe Rakhudu (50kg) scooped gold medals on the ladies side while the male gold medallists are Zibani Chikanda (56kg), Lentswe Zwinila (69kg), Marshall Mokgwela (52kg) and Kabelo Bagwasi (60kg).

The team also walked away with three silver medals courtesy of Keamogetse Kenosi (60kg) from the ladies team and Mohamed Otukile (49kg) and Kutlwano Ogaketse (56kg) from the men side.

In addition, Kenosi and Zwinila were voted female and male best bout of the tournament respectively while Bagwasi was voted best boxer of the tournament.

Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) public relations officer Kenny Maragana said the tournament is part of preparations for the Rio Olympics qualifiers that will be held in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

He further said the tournament afforded the technical team an opportunity to select a team that will represent the country in Cameroon. “Our target was to defend our title, then at least get about five medals,” he said.

He said that they are happy to have exceeded their targets, adding that they emerged the best technically and tactically in their bouts in the region.

He said the tournament was a good one for them after they promoted their youth team, which consists of Otukile and Ogaketse who won silver medals.

He observed that most of their boxers reached the final rounds of their fights, though some were knocked out in the quarterfinal.

 “We intend to take our athletes for training camps with countries that are tactically advanced. We believe training with them will offer us experience that will come in handy going forward,” he said. ENDS