15 Dec 2016

Three Botswana boxers made the country proud by scooping two silver and a bronze medal at the on-going Africa Union Sports Commission (AUSC) Region 5 Games  in Luanda.

The two silver medals were won by 2016 BISA gold medallist, Tefo Maitewa of 52kg, and 2015 BISA gold medallist and Botswana Games Champion, Boifang Kanaope in the 64kg category, while Obakeng Molebo scoped a bronze in the 75kg.

Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) vice pressident, Orapeleng Mosalakgotla said in an interview that they were happy with their team’s performance.

He said the three medals served as a motivation given that they had been sluggish in their development. “To us is a good start in a way, though one would say we could have won gold medals. Remember our development has gone down following the departure of Khumiso Ikgopoleng and Healer Modiradilo,” he said.

He however said they were now reaping the fruits of their development, adding that Modiradilo came back into office last year in April, and since his return there was now a light at the end of the tunnel.

For boxing to be successful, he said there was a need to have a robust development programme of athletes below 15 years, so that there was a pool of boxers in conveyer belt form that would continue to represent the country in all competitions and win medals.

Mosalakgotla said their intention as BoBA was to monitor all those who competed at the AUSC Region 5 Games  going forward given that most of them had just completed their cambridge certificate,
Their aim, he said was to also absorb them in their out-of-school programmes so that they continue to monitor their talent.

“That will also help us to absorb them in our senior team, should an opportunity arise, “he said. Meanwhile, in athletics Gotata Gabankitsi won gold medal in the 800 metres followed by his county man Alastair Bagopi with a silver. The duo also won a gold and silver in the 1500m. ENDS