EC youngsters put province on top to dominate junior tourney

Once again the notion that the Eastern Cape is the hotbed of boxing held true when the provincial amateur boxing team ruled supreme at the national junior championships held in Cape Town last week.

While professional boxing has also entrenched its position as the leading sport code in the province, the amateurs are not left behind.

This means that the sport has yet to be deposed at the top as development is at an advanced stage.

This perception was borne out of the performance of provincial youngsters at the games, otherwise known as youth championships.

As usual provincial boxers came first with a medal haul of 32 in a combined count for both the males and females.

The team romped home with 15 gold medals, two of those won by female boxers.

By claiming 13 gold medals, the male boxers piped their peers from KwaZulu-Natal by two, even though the two provinces were tied at two golds apiece for the female boxers.

The provincial team also claimed 10 silver medals as well as five bronzes for a total of 28 medals for the male boxers.

KZN was second with 11 gold medals, seven silvers and eight bronzes for a total of 26 medals for the males.

Gauteng, which used to be EC’s bitter rival, has been floundering of late as it only managed three gold medals for a distant third.

SA National Amateur Boxing Organisation (Sanabo) president Andile Mofu said the championships underlined the planning for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Durban.

“These youngsters will be part of the SA team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games so it is imperative that they showcase their talent as early as now so that it can be nurtured properly,’’ he said.

EC Amateur Boxing Organisation (Ecabo) president Vído Mtekwana hailed the team’s performance, adding that it signified the concerted effort to keep the provincial boxing flag flying.

“People may take it as a given that the province should dominate in national events but there is still a lot of work put into planning, preparing and moulding these youngsters to supplement their talent. For instance we go to camps where they are trained into every detail possible,” he said.

Mtekwana also thanked the provincial department of sports, arts, culture and recreation for its unwavering support of the development of boxing.

“If we talk about development I do not think there are better results than these because these youngsters will form the core of the national team to compete at international events. One wonders why the SA team is also always dominated by boxers from this province, but I guess the achievements of our youngsters at the youth championships now provide answers.”