SA’s last man standing fails to get elusive gong

FOR the second time in three Commonwealth Games‚ South Africa has failed to win a boxing medal.

The nation’s last hope‚ Sinethemba Blom in the 64kg division‚ was adjudged the loser in a tight last-eight contest against Ghana’s Jessie Lartey‚ who is now guaranteed a medal.

Two of the judges thought the UWC psychology student had done enough to win the three-rounder‚ but the other three gave it to his foe.

Five judges‚ five scorecards and three rounds‚ but if you added up their individual scores‚ Blom lost by a single point – but for SA it’s an everwidening chasm. Blom’s elimination followed that of Siyabulela Mpongoshe who was another boxer representing the country at the Games.

Mpongoshe from PE bombed out after a defeat by Thiwanka Ranasinghe of Sri Lanka in the 49kg contest.

Mdantsane’s Thulani Mbenge’s bronze at Glasgow 2014 has been the country’s only boxing gong from the past three editions of the Commonwealth showpiece. At the three Games before that‚ Kuala Lumpur 1998‚ Manchester 2002 and Melbourne 2006‚ SA won six medals‚ including Bongani Mwelase’s welterweight gold 12 years ago.

Before SA was cast into the sporting wilderness because of apartheid‚ boxing had been its richest source of Olympic medals.

Since returning from readmission‚ however‚ boxers had made an Olympic podium‚ but they were at least performing at the Commonwealth Games. This decade‚ since Delhi 2010‚ that well is running dry.

Blom was one of only two SA boxers in the team‚ minuscule compared to the teams of five or six in previous years. SA National Boxing Organisation (Sanabo) president Andile Mofu expressed disappointment by Blom’s elimination but heaped praises on the boxer for representing the country well.

“I am told that he fought like a soldier and that is all we want from our athletes that they must put their lives on the line for the country,” he said.

Mofu said the Stutterheim-born boxer had to overcome several impediments such as a shoulder injury and a cut which needed stitches to put up a gallant display.

“The team doctor and physio worked on his shoulder a day before the fight and Blom never allowed that to deter him. I am extremely proud of the boy.”