- BoBA keen to redeem itself after disappointing African event
- Otukile Mohammed and Keamogetse Kenosi to be on the team
- 248 boxers – 124 women and 124 men – to slug it out at Paris Olympics
GAZETTE REPORTER
In a bid to secure a spot at Paris 2024 Olympics, the Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) will send a team to the 1st World Qualification Tournament.
This comes after Botswana’s boxers fell short at the African boxing qualification event held in Dakar, Senegal from 9 to15 September 2023.
According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), a total of 50 athletes comprising 22 women and 28 men will earn their spots through the 1st World Qualification Tournament that is scheduled for Busto Arzizio, Italy from 29 February to 12 March 2024.
The Secretary General of BoBA, Taolo Tlouetsile, has confirmed BoBA’s participation. “We’ve had a chat with the Botswana National Olympic Committee and agreed to send a team to the qualifiers,” he said in a telephone interview.
Lacklustre performance
The decision to participate underscores the determination of BoBA to secure representation at the Olympics after a lacklustre performance at the 2016 edition.
The team will feature some of Botswana’s top boxers, with the notable inclusion of Rajab Otukile Mohammed and Keamogetse Kenosi.
“We want to be represented again at the Olympics, hence we are sending these boxers to the qualifiers,” Tlouetsile said. “It is up to the boxers selected to work hard and make the nation proud.”
Both Mohammed and Kenosi previously represented Botswana at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, injecting a renewed sense of hope into BoBA after the disappointment of the 2016 Olympics where the nation had no representation in boxing.
Historical context
Meanwhile, the historical context of boxing adds significance to the journey of these athletes.
The IOC website shows that boxing first made its appearance at the Ancient Olympic Games in 688 BCE and subsequently debuted in the modern Olympics at St. Louis in 1904.
At the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, a total of 248 boxers, made up of 124 women and 124 men, are set to compete, showcasing the sport’s global inclusivity.