Siphamandla Damesi of the Overstrand Whale Boxing Club has done it once again! He was crowned the champion in his division at the SA National Boxing Organisation’s Youth and Elite National Boxing Championship in Limpopo.
Damesi, who also bagged gold at the national championships last year, and his teammate Sihle Mathiso (also from OWBC) were two of only six members of the Western Province provincial boxing team who won gold at the nationals held from 4 to 8 July in Tzaneen, Limpopo. This was the fourth time that Siphamandla won gold at the national championship.
Siphamandla and Sihle were the only male boxers from WP who bagged gold, said OWBC coach Mzi Damesi. The other four gold medal winners in the provincial team were females.
Damesi was ecstatic about the fact that all five boxers of his club who participated in the national championships brought home medals. OWBC boxers Likho Macwarandile, Akhule Mgoqi and Simamkele Damesi (Siphamandla’s younger brother) brought home bronze.
Siphamandla won both his fights in the 67kg welter weight division, ending his last fight against Wandile Tokota from Paarl on a knockout shortly after the bell rang.
Celebrations, said Damesi, were marred by the fact that Tokota was carried from the ring on a stretcher and had to be taken to hospital.
He added Sihle deserved to be named the best boxer in his category after he won all three his fights and won gold.
“There is a possibility that Sihle will represent South Africa in the Zone 5 African Games.”
Akhule won his first fight in the 51 kg after knocking his opponent out but lost the second on points. Likho won his first fight against an opponent from the Eastern Cape but lost in the final against a boxer from Gauteng.
Simamkele, said Mzi, did brilliantly in all his fights and should have gone on to the finals to compete for gold. “Everyone was shocked when he didn’t win. We don’t agree with the points he got.”
Damesi expressed his sincere gratitude to the EMS Foundation for sponsoring their travelling, accommodation and other expenses.
“Without EMS Foundation we are nothing,” he said. “Without their support we will never be able to achieve what we do. Special thanks to Elizabeth Steyn, the founder of EMS Foundation, Morgan Carr, EMS Foundation’s manager, and the EMS Director Michelle Pickover. Thank you also to the Wells Boxing Club from the UK who donated new boxing boots for our boys.”
Overstrand Whale Boxing Club looks forward to its new gym at the Waldorf School in Sandbaai being completed before the end of the year. The construction of this gym was made possible through funding from the EMS Foundation.
Once the building is completed, said Damesi, the club will invite the Wells Boxing Club to celebrate the occasion with them.
