Windhoek: Namibia's 55kg boxer Philip !Haoseb has set his sights on winning gold for Team Namibia after guaranteeing himself at least a bronze medal by booking a place in the semi-finals on Tuesday night. The 21-year-old, who has impressed on his Commonwealth Games debut, produced another composed display to advance to the last four, crediting his belief in himself, his country, and his faith for carrying him through.

According to Namibia Press Agency, !Haoseb defeated New Zealand's Alex Mukuka in the quarter-finals by split decision, with four judges scoring in the Namibian's favor while the fifth ruled the contest a draw. Speaking to Nampa after the victory, !Haoseb admitted he had plenty on his mind before stepping into the ring. "I said it before, and I'm going to say it again. I'm a Namibian. We don't get knocked out. We win," he said.

The young boxer said that he had made the contest more difficult for himself than it needed to be. "A lot of things were going through my head, but I had to focus and lock in. I was not expecting much from him, but he did his thing. It was a good fight. It was easy, but I made it look hard for myself," !Haoseb said.

!Haoseb, who refuses to be intimidated by his opponent, stated that his victory was based on resilience and skill. "He's a man. I'm a man. He can't hit me and I'll keep quiet. We're both there to fight. As long as I have my coaches with me, we can handle anything," he said.

Having secured at least a bronze medal, as all losing semi-finalists are guaranteed a place on the podium, !Haoseb said his focus is firmly on claiming gold. "Because we all have God with us. So anything that comes, we'll take it on the neck. We don't get knocked out. We win," he said.

One victory now separates !Haoseb from a place in the final. He is scheduled to face India's Jadumani Singh Mandengbam in the semi-finals on Friday at 16h45 Namibian time.