TEAM Fiji Boxing will be looking to add to its single gold and two bronze medals when the 2018 Commonwealth Games begin at the Gold Coast in Australia.
Team Fiji Boxing last won a medal in the sport after Sani Fine defeated Jonathan Kirisa of Uganda in the 81kg category to win gold at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Sani later went on to represent his country of birth Tonga at the 1983 South Pacific Games and the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California, United States.
Middleweight boxer Moses Evans and heavyweight Holgar Johansen both won bronze medals at the 1962 Commonwealth Games held in Perth, Australia.
Meanwhile, Team Fiji Boxing will be led by section manager Tahu Hikuroa and coach Napoleon Taumoepeau and Pauliasi Ratu with three boxers to be confirmed later for the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast, Australia.
The team will be represented in three weight categories including the 64kg, 69kg and 75kg.
Team Fiji 2017 Boxing section manager Manueli Lockwood said the team had been preparing well and understood the challenges they would face at the Commonwealth Games.
“It’s a step up from the mini games we had last year and our boys are training and preparing really hard to make the final team to go,” he said.
“One of the areas we will be concentrating on is how to change the mind-set of our boxers so that they are mentally prepared to compete at the Commonwealth Games.
Olympian Winston Hill is likely to be in the confirmed Team Fiji Boxing squad which is yet to be finalised.
Six of Team Fiji’s best boxers will be marching into camp in the first week of February to contest for a place on the final team to the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Team Fiji Boxing’s last competition was at the 2017 Pacific Mini Games, the squad managed to return with two bronze medals to Winston and Jone Davule.
Meanwhile, Team Fiji has competed in all, but three Commonwealth Games since 1938.
It missed out in 1990, 1994 and 2010.
Fiji has won 14 Commonwealth Games medals across six sports.
