Big names left out of boxing national team
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday June 16, 2017 15:37
The Botswana team is in Congo to take part in the All Africa Boxing Championships, but some big names fell by the wayside.
Tswiigi, Zwinila and the Bagwasi brothers, Kabelo and Kagiso did not board the plane to Congo. Botswana Boxing Asssociation (BoBA) public relations officer, Kenny Maragana said the selection was performance based.
He said boxers should also be active in BoBA tournaments such as the inter-clubs that have been on going. “The four did not meet the set standards. You must remember that we are going to an international tournament and we need boxers who have been active and we know their condition. We did not want to take chances by fielding boxers who are not on form. Kagiso (Bagwasi) is still nursing a recurring injury. But we hope he will recover soon,” he said.
As for Tswiigi, Maragana said the boxer had challenges with training venue as he is based in Mahalapye and trains at the Prisons College.
He said the selection was also influenced by categories in which BoBA wanted representation. He said Zwinila had a quiet year and he was not much involved in BoBA inter-club tournaments. He admitted that, despite not making the team, the four boxers remain the creme of boxing in the country.
The squad
Women
Beauty Phori 48kg, Lethabo Modukanele 51kg, Keamogetse Kenosi 60kg, Aratwa Kasemang 64kg
Men
Mahommed Otukile 52kg, Kefentse Molalapata 60kg, Zibane Chikanda 75kg, Kabo Seitshiro 64kg, George Molwantwa 56kg