Africa-Press – Lesotho. Lesotho’s boxers have been given a last chance to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil. Moroke Mokhotho, Tšepo Lepoqo and Masheane Mohlerepe’s lifeline is the AOB Final Olympic World Qualifier event in Baku, Azerbaijan, in June.
The championships are scheduled to take place from June 7 to 23 and are the final opportunity for boxers to secure a spot in Rio. Mokhotho, who fights in the 52 kilogram category, Lepoqo (64kg) and Mohlerepe (60kg) all fell short at last month’s AIBA African Olympic Qualification Event held in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
The trio was part of a four-man team sent to Cameroon by Lesotho Boxing Association (LEBA) and only 56kg fighter Suntele Nkululeko booked a spot at the Olympics.
Of the three who missed out, Mokhotho came closest to joining Nkululeko losing a disputed qualification decider. Speaking on Tuesday, LEBA public relations officer Pheello Sofe urged the fighters to grab this final opportunity.
“The three that did not qualify in Cameroon will go to the world qualifiers to try and see if they can qualify like Suntele has. This is their second chance and if they fail to qualify they will miss out (on the Olympics),” Sofe told thepost.
He added: “If they fail in Baku it will be a disappointment and they will have to wait for another international competition (after the Olympics) to try their luck.
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The boxers will not find it easy, though, as they will be facing opponents from different parts of the world also looking to make it to Rio. However, Sofe said he is confident Lesotho’s team would do well.
“We are confident that they will qualify this time around because they will be facing the same people that were in Cameroon who failed to qualify just like them,” Sofe said.
He continued: “But, there are so many things in boxing that can make one lose a match. One can perform well and dominate their opponent but still lose the match depending on the times the referee has cautioned him.
Judges sometimes also look at you and the country where you come from and decide that you are not going anywhere. ”
Sofe cited Mokhotho’s loss at the African qualifiers in Cameroon as an example.
He said Mokhotho, a bronze medal winner at last year’s All Africa Games in Congo, dominated his opponent. “Look, Mokhotho beat his opponent left, right and centre.
He beat him and dominated his fight from the beginning but he still lost the match. The judges knew him (Mokhotho), they saw him in Congo Brazzaville and somehow he lost the match despite beating his opponent,” Sofe said.
Meanwhile, Sofe said five local boxing clubs – Best Boxers, Tšosane, Lerotholi Polytechnic, Butha-Buthe and the National University of Lesotho boxing club – are preparing to compete in the Invitational Boxing Tournament to be held in Fouriesburg, South Africa, at the of May.
Sofe indicated LEBA might take Mokhotho, Lepoqo and Mohlerepe to the tournament in order to keep them sharp ahead of the Olympic qualifiers in Azerbaijan.
“Next month we will be in Fouriesburg competing. This is just to keep the players in shape because we do not want them to spend a lot of time without competing,” he said.
Sofe also disclosed Nkululeko is continuing with his training for the Olympics. He said the boxer’s preparations were now the responsibility of the Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC).
