Dar female boxers to participate in IBA World Championships

10Mar 2023
Joseph Mchekadona
DAR E SALAAM
Sport
The Guardian
Dar female boxers to participate in IBA World Championships

TANZANIA's national women's boxing squad is expected to travel to India next week to battle it out in this year's edition of the International Boxing Association (IBA) Women's World Boxing Championships. 

The two-week championships are set to take place in New Delhi from Wednesday. 

Lukelo Wililo, Boxing Federation of Tanzania (BFT) president, said the country's contingent will be made up of two boxers, Lightweight pugilist Beatrice Nyambega and Light Flyweight boxer Rehema Maganga. 

Samuel Kapungu and Mohamed Abubakar, AIBA-recognized coaches, and the leader of the delegation, Wililo, will accompany the boxers.

Wililo said the country's representatives have been sponsored by the IBA.

The BFT official pointed out that while in India he will attend the Women in Boxing Conference that has been organized by the IBA and the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).

He noted: "We are expected to depart for India on Monday for this year's edition of IBA Women's World Boxing Championships."

"The team is currently attending intensive preparations in Dar es Salaam and we are hopeful that the pugilists will perform well in the championships," he said.

He thanked Africa Human Rights Network (AHRN), Oasis Village based at Mbezi, and Club Gym who have provided their facilities free of charge for the team.

The IBA Women's World Boxing Championships started in Scranton in the USA in 2001 and this year will see Tanzania send pugilists to the showdown for the first time.

This year's edition will see 350 women from 74 countries battle it out in the championships which will be held in 12 weight categories.

According to IBA, the opening ceremony will take place at the K.D. Jadhav Indoor Hall on March 15 with preliminaries and quarterfinals scheduled for March 16-23 and semi-finals will take place on March 25.

For the first time, IBA has confirmed a lucrative prize fund of US$2.4m for the Women’s World Championships 

According to IBA, gold medal winners in each of the 12 weight categories will receive US$100,000, ensuring a bumper reward for finishing top of the podium.

Boxers that will finish as runners-up in their categories will collect US$50,000, while fighters who will claim bronze will receive US$25,000. 

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