Africa Zone 3 bantamweight champion Shaffi Bakari is over the moon after capping off his glittering career with the coveted gold at the just concluded Africa Zone 3 Championship in Kinshasa, Congo.
The hard-hitting pugilist conceded the development was a welcome relief after he returned home empty-handed from last year's edition.
Bakari comprised the gallant squad that punched furiously in the regional showpiece to fire Kenya to a momentous medal haul, including six gold, five silver, and seven bronze.
“I'm glad I finally managed a medal given I failed to win anything in last year's Championships that were also held in DRC Congo,” Bakari said.
“I wouldn't have achieved all that without the invaluable help of the coaches who rectified all our weaknesses and built on our strengths. In a nutshell, we were prepared well,” he added.
“We reaped what we sow. We worked hard day and night while in camp at the Mathare Depot.”
Bakari says he now has his work aptly cut out as he firmly trains his eyes on bagging a maiden Commonwealth medal at the forthcoming 2022 Birmingham games set for July.
The boxer, who currently plies trade for Kenya Police in the local competition, vowed to continue punching furiously on the bag as he limbers up for the arduous task ahead.
Bakari, whose stellar career took off in the humble neighbourhood of Kariobangi in Nairobi, will look to replicate the splendid form he exhibited at the Africa show in Congo.
He, however, appreciates the fact that victory won't come easy and he must toil to earn it.
“I'm glad I managed to perform well but that doesn't mean I should relax now. In boxing anything is possible and the biggest mistake would be to underrate an opponent,” he said.
Other than the Africa Zone 3 Championship, Bakari reckons he accumulated invaluable lessons during his trip with the national team to Serbia for the World Boxing Championships held in October despite the team returning home empty-handed.
He also asked local boxing enthusiasts to cut the national team some flak following their dismal outing in Belgrade, saying the organizers moved the goalposts without prior notice.
“It would be misleading to say that we failed in Belgrade simply because we didn't bag a single medal. The reality is that we had prepared quite well for the event but we were disoriented by the drastic changes in the rules at the eleventh hour,” said Bakari.
He has urged budding boxers to punch above their weight if they intend to leave an indelible mark on the global scene.
