Women are gradually changing the landscape of SA boxing and all credit must go to Fikile Mbalula, who appointed veteran female sports administrator Muditambi Ravele as the chair of the board of Boxing SA in 2014, during his time as sports minister.
The board of BSA - chaired by veteran Dr Peter Ngatane - employs Cindy Nkomo as COO.
More and more women are involved in boxing and that is how Colleen McAusland spotted a gap and teamed up with male trainer Lionel Hunter, who is nominated for the trainer of 2018 award.
McAusland manages Smangele "Smash" Hadebe, Walter "Black Mamba" Dlamini, Lebo Mashitoa, Siya Mabena, Clement "Slow Poison" Kamanga and Ndobayini Kolosa, who are all trained by Hunter.
Hadebe and Mashitoa are shortlisted for the female and male prospects of the year awards respectively, while Kolosa's topsy-turvy fight with Hedda Wolmarans is nominated for the female fight of the year gong.
McAusland is nominated for the managers' award alongside male competitors Emmanuel Mutavhatsindi and Lonwabo Witbooi. The winners will be crowned on May 17 at Sandton Convention Centre.
She told Sowetan being nominated for awards is not what she was looking for when she got involved in boxing two years ago.
"I am doing this for the love of the sport and also to help boxers achieve what they can," she said, adding that she felt female fighters were not treated the same as their male counterparts. "But I am glad BSA is taking a stand to help women get in the next level in South African boxing."
Women shaking up boxing
Women are gradually changing the landscape of SA boxing and all credit must go to Fikile Mbalula, who appointed veteran female sports administrator Muditambi Ravele as the chair of the board of Boxing SA in 2014, during his time as sports minister.
The board of BSA - chaired by veteran Dr Peter Ngatane - employs Cindy Nkomo as COO.
More and more women are involved in boxing and that is how Colleen McAusland spotted a gap and teamed up with male trainer Lionel Hunter, who is nominated for the trainer of 2018 award.
McAusland manages Smangele "Smash" Hadebe, Walter "Black Mamba" Dlamini, Lebo Mashitoa, Siya Mabena, Clement "Slow Poison" Kamanga and Ndobayini Kolosa, who are all trained by Hunter.
Hadebe and Mashitoa are shortlisted for the female and male prospects of the year awards respectively, while Kolosa's topsy-turvy fight with Hedda Wolmarans is nominated for the female fight of the year gong.
McAusland is nominated for the managers' award alongside male competitors Emmanuel Mutavhatsindi and Lonwabo Witbooi. The winners will be crowned on May 17 at Sandton Convention Centre.
She told Sowetan being nominated for awards is not what she was looking for when she got involved in boxing two years ago.
"I am doing this for the love of the sport and also to help boxers achieve what they can," she said, adding that she felt female fighters were not treated the same as their male counterparts. "But I am glad BSA is taking a stand to help women get in the next level in South African boxing."