Uganda’s champion woman boxer a champion rolemodel

One of boxing’s oldest tropes is that people fight to survive.

In the case of Helen Beleke, this is especially true. She turned to boxing as a means to defend herself against sexually aggressive boys, who often pestered and prodded her as she made her way through the slum where she lives in the Kayunga district in Uganda.

No-one dares try and intimidate her now. Two years ago she became the first Ugandan woman in 18 years to win a medal at the All Africa Games. At the world championship several years before, she boxed Claressa Shields, who is now regarded as the number one star in women’s boxing.

As one of the famous faces of African sport, Beleke is among those chosen to be celebrated in SuperSport’s “Define your Great” campaign, an opportunity for the names behind the headlines to reflect on their individual journeys through the world of sport.

The campaign launched on SuperSport recently and gives a glimpse at what has defined these women’s paths and what drives them to leave a legacy.

Beleke’s path has been harder than most. She says her challenges have included “gender discrimination, limited training facilities, non-acceptance by the community and less support by the government to female boxers.”

Despite these impediments, she has forged a path to prominence in an environment here there are few rolemodels.

Shields is someone she especially admires, so too Laila Ali, the daughter of Muhammad Ali and a trailblazer for women’s boxing. So too is Beleke, who also trains young female boxers in her district.

“My philosophy is to have patience to achieve your dream,” she says.

Her mum (Bagoole Sarah) inspired her for her inner strength, but it was former champion boxer Justin Juuko (who fought Floyd Mayweather jnr in 1999) who was her boxing hero.

As a mother of two, Beleke juggles the responsibilities of motherhood with her chosen sport, although at 34 she will likely ease off boxing and be able to reflect on a career achieved against significant odds.

“Utilise every opportunity and focus on what you do,” is the advice she says she would give her younger self.

Her excellence is remarkable given her environment, which only adds to her status as a great rolemodel.

Asked what being great means to her, Beleke’s response was perfect. “It’s persistence to achieve what nobody can do or being exceptional in a particular field.”

There is no finer example than Uganda’s boxing gem.