Meet The Team To The World Championships

| Monday April 19, 2010 00:00

All national team debutants, the boxers are under the tutelage of former national team boxers Khumiso Ikgopoleng and Master Luza. The Monitor Sports reporter Frederick Kebadiretse caught up with the young fighters after their Friday training session to profile them

Dimpho Ramokoya: Born 18 years ago in Mahalapye, the 51kg pugilist only started boxing last year. He has a full record of four wins out of the four bouts he has fought to date. He holds a gold medal from last year's Botswana Games.  Ramokoya is currently doing Form Five at Kagiso Senior SS in Ramotswa and says he very much harbours the ambition of winning a medal from an international competition.

Ofentse Kompone: He is the most experienced boxer in the team. The 17-year-old Form Five student at Lobatse Senior Secondary School fights in the 64kg category. He possesses some amazing physique and packs very strong punches that enabled him to win a couple of knockouts (KOs). He started boxing while doing Form Two at Ipelegeng Junior in Lobatse.

His record to date stands at 21 bouts, 18 wins, three of which are knockouts and only three losses. He also won gold at the Botswana Games last year and a bronze medal from the Keone Mooka Mageu Championship last year where he was knocked out of the semi-finals by national team boxer, Oratile Segokgo. Kompone hails from Lotlhakane and hopes to bring home a gold from the World Championships.

Oratile Kgalaeng: The Motokwe-born Kgalaeng is currently doing Form Five at Macha College in Kang. At 48kg, his frame is small but possesses speed and excellent ring manoeuvres, which enable him to stand his ground against bigger opponents. He is decorated, having won the Best Boxer and Best Bout awards at the Botswana Games last year where he also got a gold medal. He started boxing at junior level at Motaung JSS in Kang. He has fought 14 bouts, won 13 and lost only one.

Botshelo Robi: The 17-year-old Form Three student at Zwenshambe Junior Secondary School (JSS) only started boxing last year. He won bronze at the Botswana Games last year. He has only one loss from the three bouts he has fought to date. The robust Robi fights in the 60kg category and says he is very hopeful for grabbing a medal at the championships.Coach Lechedzani 'Master' Luza says of the team:

'They are very promising young boxers and I think they can go on to compete among the world's best. We have been training hard and we hope they will win some medals from the championships. The only shortcoming we might face is that this is their first international competition and stage fright might work against them, but we are trying our best to motivate them and make them ready for the competition.'