Boxers shift focus to Mauritius camp
THATO KALA
Correspondent
| Tuesday March 13, 2012 00:00
The team starts its Mauritius camp on Friday and will be there until March 25. Veteran pugilist Bathusi Mogajane has put the Namibia disappointment at the back of his head and determinedly said they will continue preparing hard for the Morocco Olympic qualifiers.
Mogajane, who will fight in the 49 kilograms category, and his national team mates kg Oteng Oteng (52kg), Mmoloki Nogeng (60kg) and Gomotsang Gaasite (64kg) were scheduled to battle it out against Namibian boxers in an international friendly this past weekend before the neighbours abruptly cancelled the tournament. Two youthful boxers, Mooketsi Lekgetho and Oratile Kgalaeng, had also been drafted into the team for development purposes and were meant to travel to Windhoek to gain exposure. But Mogajane has said that morale is still high in camp and they now want to intensify their preparations. The final Olympic qualifying tournament kicks off on April 25 and the local boxers have been in camp preparing for the competition at the Athletes' Village in Gaborone West since January.
'We were disappointed by the Namibians but at the end of this week we are going to Mauritius for a training camp so it will help us,' Mogajane told Mmegi Sport.'But so far we have done well in training, our fitness levels have improved and we are also working on technique,' he said. The national team boxers all won their bouts during the weekend's inter-club boxing tournament. Mogajane is confident that they will qualify for London 2012 Olympics. In fact, he said it was a must that they make it to the Games in July this year.
'We'll make it because we have always done well at regional level. I believe we will take the same form to Morocco,' he added. Straight after the Mauritius camp, they take their preparations to France where they are likely to train with likes of Russia, France and Sweden. The France camp will run up to April 7. The final camp will take place from April 15-26 in Tunis, Tunisia.