The Eastern Cape Amateur Boxing Organisation (Ecabo) team once again ruled the roost at the recent open elite championships held in Grahamstown when they secured the gold medal.
Through their win the athletes ensured that the title for the elite championships remains in the province after they claimed it in Welkom last year.
Beamed by SuperSport, the event was the most closely contested and gruelling championships in the history of amateur boxing, now called open boxing after the International Amateur Boxing Association (Aiba) opted to remove the dreaded “amateur” term.
With 10 teams including the SA National Amateur Organisation (Sanabo) team also competing, the athletes from the Eastern Cape were never deterred as they romped home with 16 medals – six gold, four silver and six bronze.
Of the six gold four of them were won by females.
An elated provincial MEC of sport, recreation, arts and culture Pemmy Majodina, a staunch sports lover, said the performance of the team demonstrated the province as the Mecca of boxing.
“We are not surprised by this achievement and as the department we will continue to support these boys as they put our province on the boxing map,” she said after handing out medals to respective winners.
Not only did Ecabo team become the champions but they also produced the best female boxer of the tournament in Monalisa Takani, who hails from Kirkwood.
Limpopo’s Akani Puzi walked away with the best male boxer of the tournament while the bout between Asanda Gingqi from Sanabo and Sinethemba Blom from the Western Cape stole the show.
Ayabonga “JJ” Sonjica justified his favourite tag to bring back a medal from next year’s Rio Olympics after he took the gold medal in the lightweight division.
Majodina did not only come to support the event but she also donated boxing equipment to the Cacadu boxing clubs to demonstrate her endeavours to make a difference to underprivileged sporting entities.
KwaZulu-Natal confirmed its status as a rising province when it came second ahead of former Eastern Cape rivals Gauteng, who took third spot, while Sanabo surprisingly came fourth.