Africa-Press – Lesotho. Lesotho’s boxing team received a timely confidence boost by clinching fifth place at the Zone 4 African Boxing Championship in Maputo, Mozambique, last Saturday.
In total, Lesotho claimed a haul of four medals. The championships were contested by Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, Botswana and hosts Mozambique.
Among the seven boxers that represented Lesotho, five are headed to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia next month and the competition formed part of the team’s preparations.
Lesotho’s efforts were led by 2016 Olympian Moroke Mokhotho who won gold in the 56 kilogram category and Qhobosheane Mohlerepe who claimed a silver medal in the 60 kg class.
Kokole Paneng (75kg), meanwhile, won a bronze as did ‘Mantoa Ranone (57kg) who was the only woman on the team. The tournament also served as a qualifier for 2018 African Boxing Championships scheduled for June in a country yet to be announced.
With his gold, Mokhotho has qualified for the showpiece. Lesotho Boxing Association (LEBA) public relations officer Katiso Tšenoli told thepost on Wednesday the medals won in Mozambique symbolise growth and progress in local boxing.
He called the team’s performance a step in the right direction as Lesotho heads to the Commonwealth Games. “We managed to get medals even though we have not yet started camping because of lack of finances,” Tšenoli said.
“We were competing against teams that have already started camping and they were surprised that we came with a strong team this time around.
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Tšenoli said the Zone 4 tournament was a perfect gauge of where Lesotho stands.
“We took seven athletes and four of them managed to come home with medals,” he said.
“We saw where we need to improve because we faced big countries that are already camping unlike us.
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Tšenoli concluded: “Although Mokhachane Moshoeshoe, Thabo Molefe and Bokang Khoi did not manage to get any medals, they performed well. We are satisfied with how things went for the team.”
