Botswana’s national boxing team secured seven medals, including two golds, at the 2025 Zone IV Championships in Mozambique, marking an overall second-place finish. The performance highlights the growth of women’s boxing in the nation, with three medals won by female participants. The success comes ahead of the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 2025.
Botswana’s senior national boxing team excelled at the 2025 Zone IV Championships in Mozambique, securing a total of seven medals after a prolonged period without competition. The team sent eight boxers, who notably garnered two gold medals through Keobakeng Philip in the 60kg and Kobamelo Molatlhegi in the 48kg weight categories.
In addition to the gold, silver medals were achieved by Kutlwano Sekhutlo (63kg) and Gift Modise (57kg), who finished as runners-up in their respective finals. Bronze medals were awarded to Ribbin Modise, Mmoloki Sekwaipe, and Letlhogonolo Makgaola for their performances in the qualifying rounds. Regrettably, Dorcus Tlhabologo was unable to participate due to an injury.
Among the seven medals won, three were secured by female boxers, signaling the advancement of women’s boxing in Botswana. The competition featured teams from five participating countries: Botswana, Lesotho, eSwatini, Mozambique, and Seychelles. In an interview with Voice Sport, Botswana Boxing Association spokesperson Gaone Motshwanaesi expressed pride in the team’s accomplishments, citing the significant exposure gained by many newcomers and the benefits of a comprehensive training camp that began in December.
Botswana finished in second place overall, trailing behind Mozambique. This outcome marks an improvement compared to the last championships, where the nation secured six medals, including one gold.
As the women’s boxing team prepares for the upcoming IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 2025 in Belgrade, Serbia, from March 8-16, the timing of this success is highly advantageous. Expectations are that athletes Gift Modise and Phekie Bele will be inspired by their achievements in Maputo as they aim for further success at the world level. This event also represents a critical opportunity for local boxers to regain their competitive edge following their absence from significant events last year, including the Africa Elite Boxing Championships in October 2024 due to financial constraints.
In summary, Botswana’s boxing team shone at the Zone IV Championships, achieving remarkable success with two golds and showing the significant progress of women in the sport. The upcoming participation in the IBA World Championships offers a vital platform for further growth and competition, especially as the team seeks to build on this recent triumph.
Original Source: thevoicebw.com
