Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
OLYMPIC hopeful and African flyweight champion Ndabezihle Phiri missed out on an opportunity to compete in a rankings tournament in Tanzania after testing positive for Covid-19.
The 20-year-old pugilist was among four boxers the Zimbabwe Boxing Federation (ZBF) had recommended for the tournament that also acts as a qualifier for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The competition in Tanzania starts today and after Phiri missed out alongside Mandlenkosi Marusenga, who also tested positive to Covid-19, only Trade Nkomozabo and Tabius Dzandiwandira will represent Zimbabwe at the boxing gala.
“We intended to send four boxers but two tested positive for Covid-19 and were withdrawn so two guys went to Tanzania and arrived on Saturday. It’s unfortunate that Ndabezinhle missed out because he was very fit and ready for the challenge.
“He is asymptomatic and we hope together with Marusenga they’ll be ready for future qualifying tournaments set for Botswana and Zambia,” said ZBF secretary-general Arvian Mathe.
Local boxers that failed to secure qualification for the Olympics at the African Boxing Qualification tournament last year have to compete in at least three tournaments to score points that will improve their rankings.
Boxing decided to use the ranking system for the Tokyo Olympics due to cancellation of qualifying events because of the Covid-19 outbreak and only the top three ranked zonal boxers in their weight divisions will qualify. — @ZililoR
Online Reporter