By MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –
ZAMBIA Boxing Federation (ZBF) president Thomas Chileshe has challenged female boxers to step up their performance ahead of the 11th edition of the All Africa Games billed for Congo Brazzaville next year.
Chileshe said in an interview yesterday that Zambia’s participation at the recently held AIBA World Women Boxing Championships staged in Jeju, South Korea, was a strong statement of the rising standards of female boxing in Zambia.
No representatives from Africa managed to advance to the second round of the competition.
Chileshe said though the two boxers, Sally Mumba and Jane Mulenga, did not go past the first round, they had gained enough exposure to warrant them medal winning performances in future international competitions.
“As a federation, we are impressed with the growth of female boxing in the country, this is what we have been working towards achieving and I think having sent representation to the World championship signifies the progress we have made,” he said.
Mumba lost via unanimous point’s decision to Russian 2010 World champion Elena Savelyeva while Mulenga also suffered elimination at the hands of Alessia Mesiano of Italy in the preliminary round.
Chileshe said now that women’s boxing was gaining ground in the country, it was important for the pugilists to up their game in order to compete favourably at the high level.
“Our boxers’ experience at the competition should now create a no fear attitude in them and I would like all the female boxers to up their efforts, as they seek to lift Zambia’s name high in such international competitions,” Chileshe said.
The ZBF chief challenged Mumba and Mulenga to use the experience they gained in their quest for medals.