Leemisa Thuseho
WITH the 2026 Commonwealth Games fast approaching, the national boxing team has intensified its preparations by staging a week-long training camp in Gauteng, South Africa.
The camp, which began on Monday and ends tomorrow (Friday), forms part of the team’s final build-up to the Commonwealth Games, scheduled for 23 July to 2 August 2026 in Glasgow.
Besides intensive training sessions, the camp has provided Lesotho’s boxers with valuable opportunities to engage in friendly bouts and sparring sessions against various South African clubs in Gauteng.
National team coach, Thabiso Nketu, believes the camp is crucial in helping his fighters assess their competitiveness against more experienced opponents ahead of one of the world’s biggest multi-sport events.
He noted that, for a long time, the team’s preparations had been confined to training within Lesotho, making the South African camp an important opportunity to expose the athletes to higher-quality competition.
“This is a good opportunity to test the level of competition for our boxers because we have only been training on our own back home,” Nketu told the Lesotho Times this week.
“Most of these boxers have not competed regularly at a high international level, so camping in South Africa gives them the chance to fight and train with experienced opponents. That experience will give them a better understanding of the intensity and standard they should expect at the Commonwealth Games.”
The men’s team will be spearheaded by experienced campaigners Mathealira Seholoholo (55kg) and Toka Litabe (60kg), who are expected to lead Lesotho’s medal challenge. They are joined by Poane Khoahle (65kg) and Refiloe Thai (70kg).
The women’s team comprises Rapelang Maselela (57kg) and Realeboha Segoete (60kg).
Maselela is currently benefiting from the Olympic Scholarship for Athletes Programme through the Lesotho National Olympic Committee, which is supporting her preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The Commonwealth Games present an opportunity for Lesotho’s boxers to end a two-decade medal drought at the event. The country’s last medal came in 2006 when legendary boxer Moses Kopo claimed a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Nketu said ending that long wait for a medal remains the team’s primary objective.
“It has been a long time since Lesotho won a medal at the Commonwealth Games, so our mission is to bring one home this time around.
“I believe we have a talented group of boxers who are capable of achieving that goal if they perform to their potential. This camp is an important step towards making that dream a reality,” he said.
