Losing boxer named in Commonwealth Games list

Brian Agina has gone missing at the just concluded 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. PHOTO | FILE |

What you need to know:

  • The dreams of flyweight boxer, Mohammed Ali of competing in next month’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Queensland, Australia, have been shattered following the omission of his name from the list of seven Team Kenya boxers for the Games.
  • In a list of names of athletes to represent Kenya at the Commonwealth Games released Sunday by Team Kenya’s head of delegation Barnaba Korir, Brian Agina is one of the seven male boxers set to represent the country in Australia.
  • Agina from Coast combined in  Mombsasa,  lost to Ali of Kongowea (Mombasa) 2-1 in the semi-finalist of  the national trials at Kaloleni Social Hall, Nairobi, on December 6.

The dreams of flyweight boxer, Mohammed Ali of competing in next month’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Queensland, Australia, have been shattered following the omission of his name from the list of seven Team Kenya boxers for the Games.

In a list of names of athletes to represent Kenya at the Commonwealth Games released Sunday by Team Kenya’s head of delegation Barnaba Korir, Brian Agina is one of the seven male boxers set to represent the country in Australia.

Agina from Coast combined in  Mombsasa,  lost to Ali of Kongowea (Mombasa) 2-1 in the semi-finalist of  the national trials at Kaloleni Social Hall, Nairobi, on December 6.

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When contacted, Boxing Association of Kenya President John Kameta said Ali was dropped from the squad as he has been ailing since the team returned from the inaugural India Open Boxing tournament in Delhi, India, last month.

“It is not in my interest to favour any of the boys. They both come from Mombasa. Agina is a promising boxer, while Ali is young but has failed to cope with tough training at the national team camp,” Kameta said.

During the qualifiers, team selectors were meant to selected 10 male boxers from light flyweight category to superheavyweight for Kenya’s boxing team, popularly known as ‘Hit Squad’ and another four female pugilists for the Games.

Ali won his bout through a walkover, as his would-be opponent, Simon Mulinge (KDF) had suffered an eyebrow cut. 

The three boxers who were axed from the Gold Coast squad are light welterweight Victor Odhiambo (KDF), welterweight Jacob Kimathi (Prisons) and super heavyweight Fredrick Ramogi (KDF).

Team Kenya’s boxing head coach, Patrick Maina, yesterday said Agina was training with the other boxers at the Kenya Police Deport in Mathare, Nairobi, and according to him,  Agina was a better boxer in the flyweight category.

Maina also said that the male and female boxers were still training at Mathare. However, he did not state when the squad would move to residential training camp at the ‘Madison Square Garden’ in Nakuru.

HIT SQUAD

Men: Light flyweight: Shaffi Bakari (Police); Flyweight: Brian Agina (Coast Combined, Mombasa); Bantamweight: Benson Gicharu (Police); Lightweight: Nick Okoth (KDF); Light welterweight: Victor Odhiambo (KDF); Welterweight: Jacob Kimathi (Prisons);

Middleweight: Edwin Okonga (KDF); Light heavyweight: Nick Abaka (KDF); Heavyweight: Elly Ajowi (Police). Super heavyweight: Fredrick Ramogi (KDF).

Women: Light flyweight: Veronica Mbithe. Flyweight:Christine Ongare. Welterweight: Lorna Kusa. Middleweight: Elizabeth Andiego (all from Nairobi County.)

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