By Sibusiso Masilela
Three local boxers will be in action during the opening day of the 2024 Nelson Mandela Cup on Wednesday.
The boxers are Lucia Groening, Phelindaba Gamedze and Nito Latches who will be the first to enter the ring in the inaugural assignment scheduled for the Durban International Convention Centre.
Groening will be first in the ring against Kutlwano Sekhulto while Gamedze and Latches will take on Joshua Aaron (Seychelles) and Goma Afonso (Angola) later in the day respectively.
This is according to a schedule released by the squad manager Emmanuel Du Pont on Tuesday.
“We are confident that our boxers will do well in the tournament.
The entire team is geared up for the tournament,” said Du Pont who is also the Eswatini Boxing Association vice president.
Meanwhile, EBA President Webster Lukhele thanked the Government and local companies for supporting the team.
Team Eswatini has been supported by several companies such as OK Foods and Dixie’s International, among others.
ALSO READ: One-year contract renewal for Dominic…
The Eswatini technical bench comprises six coaches such as Douglas Simelane (Head Coach), Mpendulo Mbingo, Maxwell Ngwenya, Muzi Shongwe, Ndumiso Mthembu and the legendary Simanga ‘De Boer’ Shiba.
The national team left the country on Sunday for the six-day continental assignment.
Some of the countries that will be taking part in the tournament include South Africa, Mozambique, Lesotho, Kenya, Angola, Botswana, Zambia, and Malawi, to mention a few.
The participating countries will be competing for the E9 million prize money recently announced by the International Boxing Association (IBA).
The full squad
Males
Khaya Shongwe
Mukelo Dlamini
Andiswa Sibandze
Phelindaba Gamedze
Mitto Latches
Mayibongwe Mdluli
Nkosinathi Dvuba
Nhlanhla Dlamini
Females
Temalangeni Dlamini
Veliswa Magaya
Lucia Groening
Manager: Emmanuel Du Pont
Coaches
Ndumiso Mthembu
Muzi Shongwe
Douglas Simelane
Maxwell Ngwenya
Mpendulo Mbingo
Simanga Shiba