The national Kenya boxing team,”Hit Squad,” has stepped up training ahead of the ‘Mabingwa wa Mabingwa’ international tournament slated for 5th-9th December in Tanzania.
Fifteen pugilists will represent Kenya in the regional tournament.
According to boxing federation of Kenya communication director Duncan Kuria, the ‘Mabingwa wa Mabingwa’ regional tournament will act as a training ground for Kenyan boxers as they prepare for international assignments.
‘’Currently the team is in non-residential camp doing training three times a week. Unfortunately at the moment we are not able to do sparring and pad work because of the covid19 regulations, we intend to write to the ministry of sports to allow our boxers do such trainings because boxing is a contact sport and you need such training to know how to react in matches,” said Kuria.
Olympic games bound duo captain Nick ‘Komanda’ Okoth and Christine Ongare will lead the Kenyan contingent in the four-day tournament.
Africa flyweight Silver medalist Shaffi Bakari , Joseph Shigali, Bonfce Mugunde, Hezron Maganga, Elly Ajowi, Joseph Wasike,Edwin Okon’go, Cosby Ouma, Victor Odhiambo , Stacey Auma, Elizabeth Akinyi and Elizabeth Andiego will also be part of the Kenyan squad.
Six countries will take part in the tournament including hosts Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Zambia.
Meanwhile, Kuria revealed that 11 Kenyan boxers will head to France in May for Olympic qualifiers after failing to make the cut during the African qualifiers held early this year in Dakar Senegal.
–kbc.co.ke
