- ‘Hoarded’ 4 golds, 5 silvers and 3 bronzes
- Cedric Baroma emerged Best Male Boxer
- Phekie Bele claimed title of Best Female Boxer
GAZETTE REPORTER
The Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) National Championships concluded on Sunday 8 December, with Francistown Boxing Club dominating the medal standings in a spectacular display of boxing prowess.
Held at the University of Botswana Boxing Club (UBBC), the finals marked the culmination of a challenging, yet rewarding year for BoBA and its affiliates.
Francistown Boxing Club claimed the top position with a total of 12 medals: four gold, five silver, and three bronze. They were followed by UBBC with 11 medals and Prisons Boxing Club with six medals.
Funding challenges
The championship bouts showcased some of the best talents in the game of fisticuffs in gloves, with seasoned athletes and emerging stars leaving their mark.
“We faced significant challenges this year, particularly with funding, which limited the number of interclub tournaments we could organise,” said the Secretary General of BoBA, Taolo Tlouetsile, in a telephone interview.
“However, our affiliates stepped up when it mattered most. SSKB hosted the preliminaries and UB Boxing Club took care of the finals. Their efforts kept the association going under very difficult circumstances, and for that we are truly grateful.”
Thrilling action
The finals were packed with thrilling action, several of them standout performances. In the Bantamweight (54kg) category, UBBC’s Cedric Baroma clinched victory against Prisons Boxing Club’s Katlo Kgowe in a closely contested bout.
Baroma’s skillful performance earned him the Best Male Boxer award, with his bout with Kgowe named Best Male Bout of the championship.
The women’s division also delivered exceptional moments, with Diamo Boxing Club’s Phekie Bele claiming the title of Best Female Boxer. Bele’s victory over SSKB’s Montse Kempho Chedza in the Women’s Bantamweight (52-54kg) category was recognised as the Best Female Bout of the tournament.
Narrow victory
Other notable winners included Francistown Boxing Club’s Kethabile Machola, who showed dominance in the Middleweight (75kg) category, and Diamo’s Tlhabologo Docus, who secured a narrow victory in the Women’s Featherweight (54-57kg) division.
The 2024 boxing season officially ended with the championships, but BoBA has promised more action next year with the highly-anticipated “Best of the Best” tournament that will feature the top four medalists from the championships.
The venue and dates for the event will be announced soon.
As the year comes to a close, Tlouetsile extended his gratitude to the boxing community. “We wish the BoBA family and all Batswana a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year,” he said. “Let’s look forward to an even better 2025.”