'Go conquer the world!' Hit Squad urged
The national boxing team that participated in Africa Games pose for a group photo at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on September 3, 2019 after jetting in from Rabat, Morocco. PHOTO | LUCY WANJIRU |
What you need to know:
- Mbote now hopes the government will support the national team to start preparing early for 2020 Olympics African qualifiers to be held in Dakar in February next year
- Former star boxer Benson Gicharu attributed the positive results to the new Boxing Association of Kenya (BAK) office led by Anthony "Jamal" Otieno
- Kenya's women boxers didn't go past the quarter-finals stage in the African Games
Assistant Commissioner for Sports, Richard Ombeba wants Kenya’s national boxing team also known as Hit Squad, to step up their performance at the world stage after shining at the African Games in Morocco last month.
In Rabat, Shaffi Bakari won silver medal in flyweight with Elly Ajowi (heavyweight), George Ouma (middleweight), Fredrick Ramogi (super heavyweight) and Boniface Maina (welterweight) each bagging a bronze in their respective categories.
Ombeba spoke glowingly of Hit Squad but challenged them to replicate the African Games exploits in global competitions.
“Our team has performed well and we thank God for that. We wish them well in their future assignments. However, we now need an Olympic and World Championship medal. It’s high time we get a medal in that stage,” Ombeba told Nation Sport on Tuesday after the last batch of Team Kenya athletes arrived from Rabat.
Former star boxer Benson Gicharu, who was also at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to receive the team, attributed the positive results to the new Boxing Association of Kenya (BAK) office led by Anthony "Jamal" Otieno.
“This performance is one of the best we have witnessed in a long time. We only missed out on a medal in three categories. It means that the new office is showing good direction. There’s light at the end of the tunnel,” said Gicharu, who represented Kenya in various international tournaments including the 2011 and 2015 African Games, 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2012 Olympics.
Newly elected BAK deputy president Isaac Mbote said: "Kenyan boxers really tried as they only attended residential training camp for two weeks before facing the rest of the continent at the African Games."
Mbote now hopes the government will support the national team to start preparing early for 2020 Olympics African qualifiers to be held in Dakar, Senegal in February next year and the World Olympic Qualifier in Paris, France. “We need at least two months of training and we hope the Ministry of Sports will come to our aid,” he said.
Kenya's women boxers Christine Ongare (flyweight), Everline Akinyi (lightweight), Lorna Kusa (welterweight), Elizabeth Andiego (middleweight) didn't go past the quarter-finals stage in the African Games.
