By CHRIS TOTOBELA
On Saturday, 25 September, boxers from all over the Sarah Baartman district exchanged leather in the district trials held at the Indoor Sports Centre in Extension 6.
Boxing teams from Graaf Reinet, Kirkwood, Somerset East and Ndlambe represented their respective municipalities with Makhanda as the hosts.
The event opened with an exciting bout between Makhanda’s Hlumelo Nelo and Othandwa Zono from Ndlambe municipality.
Nelo made his intention very clear from the first minute, catching Zono with some severe blows. Zono tried to fight back but still could not handle Nelo’s punching power and speed. The referee had to step in and stop the fight in favour of the local boy.
A team of 42 boxers was selected after the event, consisting of 33 boys and nine girls. Makhanda is well represented in the district team with 21 boys and eight girls.
This team will soon be heading for Umthatha to participate in the provincial trials, where they will face teams from other districts.
Bulelani Ndwayana, one of the trial’s officials, said all the boxers gave their best, “especially our local boxers”.
“I think we will have a good team in the provincial trials.” Three coaches will train this team – two from Makhanda, Luyanda Dibela and Siphamandla Notyandela, and Sunday’s River’s Mthuthuzeli Funde. The date for the provincial trials will be announced before the end of October.
