Dear editor,
WISH to congratulate the former world female boxing champion Catherine Phiri on being commissioned as a Zambia Air Force (ZAF) Second Lieutenant by President Edgar Lungu. The pass out parade for the ZAF cadets was held last Saturday in Livingstone, the tourist capital.
Social media was last Friday awash with pictures of Catherine Phiri dressed in a ZAF uniform being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant coupled with the congratulatory messages for the renowned female boxer.
Catherine graduated after undergoing military training. She is the first female boxer in Zambia to reach the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Air Force.
The boxer-turned military officer started her boxing career at Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions (OQBP) under the tutelage of Christopher Malunga.
She was determined to excel in her boxing career. Through hard work, discipline and focus, she achieved her objective of becoming a renowned female boxer.
During her boxing career, she fought 20 fights and lost only four. This feat is not a small achievement by all standards.
Malunga encouraged Catherine to go back to school because she had dropped out of school due to circumstances beyond her control. She heeded to the advice and she enrolled at Namununga Secondary School in Lusaka.
Catherine passed Grade Nine and proceeded to Grade 10 at Great North Road Academy where she did her senior secondary education. She performed exceptionally well at Grade 12.
However, President Lungu congratulated her achievement from being a boxer to becoming a military officer. The head of State also mentioned that the young lady had the fighting spirit to achieve what she wanted to achieve in life.
One lesson stands out from Catherine’s achievement that it is possible to excel in whatever endeavour one pursues in life. She is indeed an inspiration to youths who are desiring to achieve life goals.
ELEMIYA PHIRI,
Lusaka.
