Moorosi Tsiane
LOCAL boxing coach Sibusiso Keketsi, has been appointed to the International Boxing Association (AIBA) committee.
The appointment was made by the AIBA board last Friday.
An elated Keketsi told the Lesotho Times this week that he was excited about the opportunity and has already started his work.
“Five years ago when still I was still in school, one professor told me that I should dream of where I want to be in the next 10 years and my dream has always been to be in the AIBA committee and it has happened in just five years, so I am extremely grateful for that,” Keketsi said.
“It is indeed a big achievement especially for someone who comes from a country where sport is still on the amateur level.
“I don’t think I have done better than those from other countries but it’s God’s grace and I am grateful. It is a big achievement for me and hopefully it brings hope and encouragement to others to keep working hard.”
The former boxer said he applied for the position and was lucky to land the post.
“I applied for the position and I was among the lucky ones. This is a portfolio that works on assessing instructors who are AIBA accredited.
“Among other things, we will also be dealing with reviewing coaching manuals where the need arises, we will also be focusing on athletes’ programs within the association while also there are referees and judges’ committees that must be kept up to speed with new laws.”
He said his work will not be directly in Lesotho but added that the position would be an advantage for the country since it will now be accessing first-hand information from AIBA.
Keketsi has been in the boxing field from as far back as 1994 and has won several medals and has also been awarded a three-star boxing coaching certificate by AIBA in 2014, making him the most qualified boxing coach in Lesotho.
He was crowned the 1996 national junior champion and also won a gold medal at the 1996 Zone VI games.
Among his medals haul is a bronze medal from the 1999 All Africa Games, a gold medal from the 2000 Zone VI games and also a silver medal from the 1999 edition.
He also competed in the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics and was a quarter-finalist at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education and Sport from the International School of Physical Education and Sports in Cuba (2007).
He studied in Cuba through a scholarship offered by West Indies as a result of the country’s bilateral relations with Lesotho.
He obtained a Master’s Degree in Sports Management from the Seoul National University in South Korea in 2016 through a South Korean scholarship.
In 2018, he graduated from the Nippon Sports Science University in Japan with a Coach Developer Certificate.
He is currently pursuing a Post Graduate Certificate in Sports Management with the University of London via distance learning, under a scholarship opportunity offered by the International Olympian Association (IOA).
He started serving the government in 2007 in the Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sport and Recreation where he worked as assistant recreation officer.
He was promoted to the position of principal sports and recreation officer in 2010 and still holds the post to date.
He became the Lesotho Boxing Association national coach in 2008.
