. Kanyanta

From ELIAS CHIPEPO In Brazzaville –
COACH Kennedy Kanyanta was yesterday left a satisfied man after his boxers were handed byes in the preliminary round with some just a fight away from entering the medal bracket at the 11th All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville.
Bwalya Lumbwe, a light flyweight, is expected to face a boxer from Lesotho, who was fighting in the preliminary round last evening, while flyweight Emmanuel Bwalya will be up against a Nigerian boxer.
Bantamweight boxer Timothy Chiyesu will need to negotiate past a Ugandan pugilist with Charles Lumbwe up against a boxer from neighbouring Botswana in a lightweight contest.
Veteran Precious Makina will take his vast experience into the ring when he squares against a Cameroonian boxer in a light welterweight event with light heavyweight Peter Mukenuka, just like Chiyesu, has a date with a Ugandan boxer.
Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Ben Muziyo starts his quest against a boxer from Senegal in the middleweight bout.
Kanyanta described the draws conducted at the Talangai Boxing Hall as fair and urged his boxers to go full throttle and win medals for Zambia.
“We have a chance of fighting one bout and qualifying to the semi finals which is also the medal barrack. But we shall have a clear picture once today’s (yesterday’s) fights and draws are done, otherwise we have a very good chance of winning medals and I have told my boxers to go all out and win,” he said.
Kanyanta, flanked by his deputy Wisdom Mudenda-who was coach at the 2011 AAG in Maputo, was optimistic that his boxers will be up to the challenge of winning each at-least a medal going by the preparations they have undergone.
Director of sport at the Ministry of Sport Bessie Chelemu urged the boxers to do the country proud by winning the medals.
Chelemu prodded the boxers to put in their best and ensure they win medals.
Zambia’s last medals at the Pan Africa Games were in 2007 in Algiers, where Hastings Bwalya minted gold, while Kanyanta got bronze and the 2011 edition ended in first and second round exits.
Meanwhile, Zambia is participating in six sports disciplines that also include swimming, handball, Paralympics, judo and track and field events in athletics.