Mikia Kalati
THE Lesotho Amateur Boxing Association (LeBA) recently held a two-day boxing championship at Lerotholi Polytechnic to select their junior and senior national teams for the 2020 African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5.
The biennial games that were hosted by Botswana last year, will next year be held by Lesotho.
According to LeBA vice president Thabiso Mokuoane, the tournament was also meant to help them select senior boxers who have set their eyes on securing qualification for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“We held the championship to select national teams both for the junior and the senior teams,” Mokuoane said.
In the senior’s category, LeBA has selected a team of six boxers made up of one woman and five men.
The team is made up of seasoned boxers like Moroke Mokhotho, Tlholohelo Mokhesi, Qhobosheane Mohlerephe, Mokhachane Moshoeshe and Arena Pakela and will next month compete in the Zone 4 Championships in Botswana as they begin their journey to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
They all won their matches during the weekend championship while Kim Hyun Mapsody Lee Joo also won her match in the female category.
“This group, which is made up of elites, is preparing to go to Botswana next month for the Zone 4 Championships.
“We will propose to the Lesotho Sports and Recreation Commission (LSRC) to see if we can also include the ladies team. But the five I have mentioned in elite category will go through a qualifying campaign after they have competed at the Zone 4 games.
“Our fans were disappointed because they are used to fights taking place until late in the evenings but internationally, fights are not supposed to taking continue until very so, we have followed that format as well.
“So, on our side it was a success because everything went according to plan and the boxers were able to rest on time for the next day,” he said.
Regarding the infighting that marred the leadership of the sport boxing over the last two years, Mokuoane said he is confident that they are making good progress and could find the lasting a solution when they call for a special conference.
“We are moving towards that and all the issues will be solved by a special conference as the highest authority within our association.
“They (LeBA members) are the ones who will lead the way forward and it’s then that we will be able to give proper feedback on the whole matter. We have consulted our mother bodies namely the LSRC and the Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC) and we are following the advice that they have given us to find a way forward,” Mokuoane said.
