Kirsty Coventry rewards ABU champ Aliyah Phiri

Gilbert Munetsi

Government - through the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture - has come up with a policy that will see athletes rewarded monetarily for their achievements at continental and global stages.

This was revealed by Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry at her Harare offices when she hosted professional boxer, Aliya Phiri to a title belt presentation ceremony.

“The policy seeks to give recognition and acknowledge athletes who would have done well at continental and global platforms, and this includes boxing and wrestling as well as other sporting codes,” Coventry said.

She presented Phiri with a monetary token of US$1 750, stressing the gesture was “a starting point.”

Phiri, 23, who was in the company of his father and manager Isa, brother and trainer Ali and promoter Lindsay Early, made history by becoming the youngest local pugilist to bag an African Boxing Union title in the lightweight division.

His predecessors are the late heavyweight prodigy, Proud “Kilimanjaro” Chinembiri, who became the continental champion of his division in 1982 and Charles Manyuchi, who won the ABU in the welterweight division after accounting for Patrice Sao Toke of Burkina Faso in 2013.

Challenging for the then vacant lightweight championship at the 7 Arts Theatre in Harare on December 8 last year, Aliyah made short work of Malawian Israel “Money Machine” Kwamwamba to take his tally to seven victories and two loses.

He also earned himself the highest domestic rating of two stars on the world boxing site, Boxrec.

Thursday’s monetary reward from the Sports Minister will likely boost his morale as he prepares for the defence of his title against Said Mkola of Tanzania on March 22 at the same venue.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board has assured the sector that it is seized with the task of contributing effectively towards the attainment of the National Development Strategy Goal of increased participation in sport and recreation, particularly in combat sport.

Speaking at the belt presentation ceremony, ZNBWB chairperson, Vee Chibanda said:

“We strive for performances in boxing and wrestling. We are, however indebted to your leadership, Honourable Minister, in pursuit of our vision to be an excelling combat sport nation by 2030.

“As your Board, we are in the process to review our Act and it is our anticipation that as we undertake this exercise we will be guided by the Ministry in terms of the sports sector’s trajectory towards the contribution to national development.

“My remarks would not be complete if l do not thank our boxer, his promoter and management for having heeded our plea to strive for improved performance in boxing.

“It is an honour to have been given this opportunity to come before the Minister to present our reigning ABU champion (Aliya) Phiri, who has achieved what most thought was impossible.

“Our request to come and meet with the Honourable Minister to present the championship belt was motivated by what has been achieved by the victory of Aliya.

“We are gratified that our request was accepted and it shows us that boxing is given due consideration in our highest office for sport in the country.

“Today we come before you in support of our boxer, his management team and promoter in celebration of the achievement.

“History is being made today as Aliya at 23 years of age has become one of the youngest boxers to have won an ABU title for Zimbabwe.

“The recognition of Aliya’s achievement by the Honourable Minister is a big motivator for our boxer as he is set to defend his title on the 22nd of March here in Harare.

“Our anticipation is that the gesture shown by our Minister will propel him to retain the title and go on to challenge for the world title.”

Also present at the ceremony was the Acting CEO of the ZNBWCB, Priscilla Kadungure.