Ikgopoleng Allays Fears Amid Middle

Decorated former national team boxer and two-time Olympian, Khumiso Ikgopoleng first landed in Bahrain in 2018. He had established himself a reputable force to reckon with inside the ring during his illustrious amateur boxing days and when he transitioned to coaching career, he wanted to share the experience with the world while shaping the future of developing and elite boxers. Coach K, as Ikgopoleng is fondly called in Manama, never imagined he would soon have to be concerned about surface to air missiles flying over his head.

He now describes frightening scenes of having to experience explosions from intercepted missiles amid the conflict involving military strikes by the United States of America and Israel and subsequent retaliation from the Iranian military. Speaking from the scenic residential town of Saar on the western outskirts of Bahrain’s capital Manama, Ikgopoleng said explosions from intercepted missiles overhead caused shockwaves so strong that he could feel buildings vibrating slightly. Bahrain and Qatar said this week their air defense systems intercepted and destroyed a total of more than 170 missiles and dozens of drones launched from Iran over the past three days as Tehran continues attacks on US-linked sites in the region in response to the ongoing Israeli-US military campaign.

He explained that there were targeted areas and they had been receiving early warning signals about incoming missiles and they take cover. Ikgopoleng is one of the only two Batswana living in Bahrain. He said despite the ensuing conflict, which seemed to be escalating on a daily basis, he did not feel unsafe in the city as everybody went on about their daily duties as usual.

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Ikgopoleng allayed fears of any casualties so far in Manama despite the military assault over the past days. Ikgopoleng said he had been in contact with other Batswana living in Dubai, which had also been targeted.

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