ESWATINI GRAB 14 MEDALS IN 1st QUARTER

MBABANE – Just three months into the year, Eswatini has hit the ground running, clinching 14 medals from various international competitions.

In a whirlwind of activity over the past two months, boxing has led the charge among the sporting codes in competitions beyond the country’s borders. Athletics followed closely behind, wrapping up the first quarter with six medals earned in Botswana this past weekend. Notably, the senior national football team, Sihlangu, and several chess teams have also made their mark during this period. As these achievements unfolded, the kingdom has also made inroads into the regional administration of several sports bodies. Below is a closer look at the highlights of the first three months of the year:

1. March 29, 2025 – Confederation of African Athletics (CAA)-Southern Regional Senior Relays Championships medals: A 22-member Team Eswatini took to the field in Francistown, Botswana, for the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Southern Region Senior Relays Championships. The Men’s 4x800m Relay Team struck gold, while the Men’s 4x200m Relay Team secured silver and the Men’s 4x100m Relay Team brought home bronze. The Women’s 4x100m and 4x200m teams also earned silver and bronze medals, respectively, with Bakhona Sikhondze adding another bronze in the hurdles competition.

2. March 17-25, 2025 - Sihlangu’s gallant fight in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers: The national team, Sihlangu, pulled off a stunning performance on March 19, holding continental giants Cameroon to a goalless draw, earning their first Group D point. Just three days later, they faced a nail-biting 3-all draw with Mauritius, where they twice relinquished their lead.

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3. February 27 - March 2, 2025 - Eight AfBC Zone IV medals won: The boxing team that represented Eswatini at the 2024 African Boxing Confederation (AfBC) Zone IV Championships in Mozambique brought home a haul of eight medals, comprising five silver and three bronze. This impressive tally marked a significant increase from the five medals won in 2022, indicating the team’s upward trajectory.

4. February 21-26, 2025 - Sitsebe bows out of WAFCON Qualifiers: The national women’s football team, Sitsebe, faced a tough uphill battle and fell short in the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Qualifiers. They suffered back-to-back defeats against Namibia, who knocked them out of the competition with a 4-0 aggregate. Namibia took the first leg by a score of 3-0 and clinched the return leg with a narrow 1-0 victory, advancing to the next round.

5.February 22, 2025 - Maxwell Jele elected ANOCA Zone VI Secretary: The Eswatini Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (EOCGA) Chief Executive Officer, Maxwell Jele, was elected unopposed to the executive of the African National Olympic Committees for Africa Zone VI, taking on the role of Secretary.

6. February 7-9, 2025 - Nolwazi Nkwanyana named Best Lady at Lesotho Chess Open: National Ladies Chess player Nolwazi Nkwanyana excelled at the BMI Lesotho Chess Open Tournament, being named the outstanding lady in the competition.

prestigious

She ranked sixth in the Open Section, marking one of the greatest achievements for the country, alongside other chess players who travelled to the Mountain Kingdom. Mbongeni Mabuza also made waves, finishing among the top 10 performers in the prestigious section, while Power House Chess Club founding member, Mlondi Mdluli, ranked fourth in the Open Section.

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