29 Feb 2016

A team of Seven boxers leaves for Yaounde, Cameroon on the quest to secure a spot for the Rio 2016 Olympics to compete in the second Olympic qualifying games.

The team consists of two ladies, Koketso Dipugiso 51kg and Keamogetse Kenosi 60kg while the men team consists of Mahammad Otukile 49kg, Kabelo Bagwasi 60kg, Kagiso Bagwasi 64kg, Lentswe Zwinila 69kg and the Captain of the team Zibani Chikanda 75kg.

The team is set to go through Rabat, Morocco to participate in an intensive training camp en route to Yaoundé, where the games are set to commence on March 9.

Botswana Boxing Association (BOBA) president Dr Thato Patlakwe said the team’s preparations have been coordinated well to make sure they are on top form.

Dr Patlakwe said as part of the preparations, Botswana’s best boxers were engaged with the lads during local training camps to assist with the training.

He also said some of the local clubs were engaged to help improve the team’s boxing skills before the games by organising sparring sessions. “The team also participated in the zone 4 senior championship in Maputo, Mozambique in January,” he said.

Dr Patlakwe explained that the zone 4 which formed part of the preparations was a success since they managed to retain their position one bringing home 10 medals.

“The team has undergone intense training and a qualifying criteria in the selection process which was designed to select only the best of the boxers that Botswana had to offer,” said Dr Patlakwe.

For his part Botswana National Olympic Committee president Tuelo Serufho warned the athletes against doping.

He advised the team to stay away from doping and went on to plead with the team management to always advice athletes not take any performance enhancing substances.

“Make sure you are careful of what you eat or drink to make sure that you do not take in something with banned substances. Seek guidance from your coaches if you wish to eat something which you might not be sure of,” advised Serufho.

Serufho also said the team should go out there to compete and give their best in order to qualify which will be a good thing.

However he said in the event they do not qualify they should not despair but do the best they can so that they do not come back empty handed.

He went on to say his wish is to see the team having qualified for the Olympics.

“As we all know Botswana is celebrating 50 years of independence, this means Batswana will have a chance to watch the Olympics with some of their own athletes competing,” he said.  ENDS