Randgate Boxing Club has yet again delivered at a major tournament.
At the end of last month, three boxers from the club participated in the South African Boxing Championships in the Western Cape.
Before the three went off to the SA Championships, Randgate Boxing Club head coach, Willie Gonsalves, was confident that his boxers would once again bring home a few medals and trophies.
Amorie Gonsalves (Willie’s daughter), Nicole Calitz and Hardus Jacobs were the three boxers who gave it their all and each of them took home a medal for being the top three in their weight division.
Amorie, one of the club’s best female technical boxers – in fact, at times she can take on the male boxers – took home a gold medal in her weight division. She also got a trophy for being the best female boxer of the tournament.
Throughout her fights, she was consistently technical and as Willie always states, she went back to her boxing basics which, he says, is ultimately what makes a good boxer other than being fit.
My eldest daughter won best South African boxer in 2005, my daughter in-law won it in 2013 and now Amorie won it this year,” a proud Gonsalves said of her win.
Hardus, the club’s boy wonder took a silver in his weight division after a few tough fights. The boxer he lost the gold to was the two-time SA Champion in the 49kg division and was subsequently more experienced than Hardus.
Willie is still proud of Hardus and said, “Hardus’ fights were tough especially going up against a champion and still doing well in the fight. He has balls.”
Nicole who fought with all her might at the competition took home the bronze in her weight division. This after a fight where there was a controversial moment involving the referee.
A video of her fight showed the referee count her out twice after which the fight was ended but the opposing boxer was ready to hit the floor approximately five times without the referee taking a count. The fight was stopped because of the technical knockout yet Nicole was ahead on points.
Nonetheless, all the fighters who went to the SA Championships brought back medals and more.
Harry Joubert and Abel Ndava, the club’s elite boxers have yet to bring back their medals from their championships coming up later this year and both of them are in top form to do so.
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