SIERRA LEONE’S JOSEFIEN BETIST WINS GOLD MEDAL IN RIGA LADIES BOX CUP
▪️She outpointed an opponent from Lithuania in the finals to put the icing on the cake in the successful Latvia outing
March 9, 2026
A remarkable performance by Sierra Leone’s celebrated boxer, Josefien Betist, earned her a gold medal in the 7th Riga Ladies Box Cup in Latvia on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
It was a fitting climax to a brilliant show by Betist who represented St Brigids Boxing Club Edenberry based in Ireland.
Information sent to boxersworld.co.ke by her coach, William Brereton, shows in the final lightweight bout, Betist outpointed Lithuania’s Beatrice Savickaite 4-1.
In the semi-finals, Betist defeated Sweden’s Lilli Arman 5-0 and saw off Germany’s Victoria Sawazki 5-0 in the quarter-finals.
“Josefien’s next destination in her build-up to the Commonwealth Games depends on availability of funds, she’s likely to take part in the Africa Championships at the end of May,” her coach Brereton told boxersworld.co.ke from Latvia.
Betist’s precious gold in Latvia made up for her disappointment in last month’s Strandja Memorial Cup in Sofia, Bulgaria, where Brereton said she was robbed of victory against Romania’s Claudia Nechita.
“I genuinely thought she won the fight, she won the last two rounds but surprisingly lost 3-2,” said Brereton.
At the 2025 Women’s World Championships in Serbia, Betist almost made it to the semi-finals but went down in the quarters to Serbia’s Natalia Sadrina who won a bronze medal.
