Author: ELKANA KUHENGA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Champions of Championships will serve as part of the National Boxing team selection preparation for the World Olympic Qualification Tournament that will stage next year in Paris, France.
This was confirmed by the Boxing Federation of Tanzania (BFT) President, Mutta Rwakatare during a press conference at Keby’s Hotel in Dar es Salaam, recently.
The Champions of Championships tournament will commence from December 5th to 9th this year at Keby’s Hotel in Dar es Salaam and will involve four nations; Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and host Tanzania.
Tanzania will be represented by the National Boxing team that participated in Olympic Qualifiers held in Dakar, Senegal this February and the boxing champions (medalists) of the national level championships held in August at Tanganyika Packers, Kawe, Dar es Salaam and Manyara in September.
The Tanzania squad was represented with five boxers that were; Alex Isendi who was the captain, Yusuph Changarawe, Boniface Mlingwa and Haruna Mhando.
Regarding the preparations, Rwakatare has called boxing stakeholders to issue their support as this tournament is part of the boxing development in the country, especially the young talents.
“We are in a major competition in the Central and East Africa region that is Champions of Champions. So far the preparations are good, we are well organised and we thank Keby’s Hotel for supporting us with the venue. Our biggest challenge is how to get the title sponsors to back this competition. We ask all stakeholders to support us in this. ”
“This tournament is one of the catalysts for preparing young people and giving us the direction of 2020 by looking at the talents of our boxers through these competitions before we go for world level championships.”
Through the press conference; the federation’s secretary general, Lukelo Willilo also noted that: “Fortunately this year we have found three countries which will be participating, which are Kenya, Uganda and Zambia who are also preparing to participate in the Olympic qualifiers which will be held in France.”
“Tanzania will be represented by the national team boxers and all the boxers who won medals in the tournaments organised in August and September this year in the country. That is, only the medalists will take part in the competition.”
