NAMIBIA’S boxers returned home with the top prize from the Zone Six Boxing Championships in Vereeniging, South Africa, held between April 21 and 24..
Led by their captain Tobias Munihango, the Namibian team pipped neighbouring Botswana and South Africa to the coveted title. The pugilists collected four gold, two silver, and one bronze medal and amassed 27 points to finish top of the seven nation competition. Lucas Sakaria (featherweight), Desmond Kasuto (welterweight), Elias Nashivela (middleweight) and Tobias Munihango (super-heavyweight) all picked up gold, while Jafet Utoni (light-flyweight) and Nathaniel Kamati (flyweight) collected silver, with Titus Iyambo (welterweight) getting the solitary bronze medal.Deputy Sport Minister Pohamba Shifeta praised the achievements of the boxers at a media briefing yesterday. Shifeta said the boxing code was exemplary of what the country’s sport representatives are supposed to achieve. ‘Boxing is giving us dividends. Any investor would be very happy with the returns he gets from them. You are making us proud. We want you to collect more medals at the African Games and at the Commonwealth Games,’ said Shifeta.Namibia could have garnered more medals and scored more points, but lightweight Mika Shonena and welterweight Norbert Ashivudhi did not meet the weight requirements and were disqualified.Botswana ended second overall, with South Africa in third, followed by Malawi in fourth, Lesotho in fifth, and Swaziland and Angola occupying the last two places.sheefeni@namibian.com.na
