Former boxing star Kennedy Kanyanta has hailed Zambia’s performance at the recent IBA Africa Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships held in Kinshasa, DR Congo. Zambia produced one of the standout performances of the tournament to finish third despite entering just five…

Former boxing star Kennedy Kanyanta has hailed Zambia’s performance at the recent IBA Africa Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships held in Kinshasa, DR Congo.

Zambia produced one of the standout performances of the tournament to finish third despite entering just five boxers.

Team Zambia secured all three titles in the men’s competition through Mwengo Mwale who won the 57kg division, Albert Ngulube who took gold at 60kg, and Gerald Kabinda who triumphed at 67kg.

Speaking to the newsroom Sports, Kanyanta said Zambia’s three gold medals from just five boxers in Kinshasa proves boxing is still Zambia’s traditional medal-winning sport.

“This is what we know Zambia in terms of boxing. It is the only sport called as traditional medal winners. It is really a very good result having 99% of the team reaching finals and winning 98 percent of the team results in terms of gold medals,” Kanyanta said.

Kanyanta praised the Zambia Boxing Federation and technical bench for funding the trip when Government could not help with logistics.

“We can see that the boys and a girl really performed so well making Zambia third as overall winners on competition chart. I really appreciate the technical bench, Zambia Boxing Federation, DRC Boxing President for making the trip a success even when our own govt couldn’t help in terms of logistics, the federation found means of making the trip a reality and bringing medals back home,” he said.

Host nation DR Congo dominated the Championships after winning eight men’s and nine women’s titles, finishing with 24 medals overall to top the standings.

“Imagine if we had 16 boxers that travelled as proposed earlier, what could have been the results? Champions of the championship. So the performance was extraordinary and really an eye opener to the business, the Government, administrators in the sports world that Boxing has talent and if well natured, Zambian flag will be flying all over on world map,” he added.

“I can simply say congratulations to ZBF, Boxers and the technical bench for your tireless work you had put to fly our flag high,” Kanyanta said.