Countdown to Africa Elite Boxing Championships, Kinshasa, DR Congo, October 14-27: Zimbabwe back after 30-year absence

Zimbabwe will take part in the Africa Elite Boxing Championships for the first time in 30 years.

Arvian Mathe, the Secretary-General of Zimbabwe Boxing Federation, has assured Zimbabweans this time he’s sure they will participate in Africa’s premier boxing event scheduled for DR Congo’s capital city, Kinshasa from October 14-27.

Zimbabwe was to make a comeback in last year’s Africa Elite Championships in Yaounde, Cameroon, but pulled out due to lack of adequate funds.

The last time Zimbabwe took part in the Africa Elite Championships was in 1994 in Johannesburg, South Africa where they won a silver by super-heavyweight Collice Mutizwa and bronze from light-middleweight Alexander Kwangwari who is currently the head coach of the national team.

On why they have not been entering the Africa Elite Championships, Mathe said:”The previous executive didn’t bother much on international tournaments but we have done our best to participate in several of them including Zone 4 from 2017 and the Men’s World Championships assisted by IBA. We were almost going for the 2022 AFBC Championships in Maputo but in Zimbabwe boxing was still considered one of the high risk sports due to Covid-19.”

Head coach Kwangwari, who represented the national team for over seven years in several international tournaments including the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, said he is confident the 12 boxers will do well in DR Congo.

The 12 boxers selected for the Africa Elite Championships are:

Women

Flyweight: Agnes Kwashi (pictured)

Bantamweight: Glorious Moyo

Lightweight: Hildah Kaye

Middleweight: Caroline Dube

Men

Flyweight: Blessing Sibanda

Bantamweight: Shiri Marshal

Lightweight: Mandlenkosi Marusenga

Light-welterweight: Luckmore Kamoto

Welterweight: Kranos Chinembiri

Cruiserweight: Takudzwa Kimbini

Heavyweight: Blessing Chideme

Super-heavyweight: Anesu Motsi

Head coach: Alexander Kwangwari

Assistant coach: Marko Sibanda

Hama Mapfihwa

Royc Archibald

The new faces in the team are Glorious Moyo, Blessing Sibanda and Kranos Chinembiri.

Among the established boxers include Luckmore Kamoto, Agnes Kwashi, Mandleosi Marusenga, Hilda Kaye, Takudzwa Kimbini and Anesu Motsi.

Kwangwari said soon they will assemble for residential training to prepare for their return to the Africa Elite Championships after a 30-year absence.

AFBC Communications