Africa Zone 3 bantamweight champion Shaffi Bakari says he has been burning the midnight oil sharpening his talons for a podium finish at the forthcoming Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games slated for July.
The hard-hitting pugilist says he is elated to have made it to the list of eight boxers summoned by head coach Benjamin Musa to a residential training camp at Moi Stadium, Kasarani.
Hit Squad captain Nick Okoth and his assistant Elizabeth Andiego headline the star-studded list that also includes David Karanja, Bonface Mugunde Isaac Meja, Christine Ongare and Amina.
Bakari reckons his masterstroke finish in Kinshasa, Congo will be adequate inspiration for the arduous task ahead.
He was part of 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 determined to emulate my performance at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia, where I made it to the round of 16. My goal is to make it to the medal bracket in Birmingham and if possible stand tall and proud as the national anthem is sung in my honour for winning gold,” Bakari said.
“The coaches are doing a splendid job refining us for the upcoming assignment. They are concentrating on each of the boxers and rectifying individual shortcomings,” he added.
“What's even more encouraging is the presence of sparring partners who have been brought on board to push us to the desired heights. One of them is a southpaw and training with him helps us to prepare for all kinds of opponents.”
Bakari reckons he gathered a lot of expertise in Congo to fire him to unprecedented glory in Birmingham.
“Even though I would have preferred to participate in more tournaments before our trip to Birmingham, I believe the lessons I learned in Congo would still propel me to victory,” he said.
“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. My performance attests to the fact that I continue improving by the day,” Bakari said.
Bakari, whose stellar career took off in the humble neighbourhood of Kariobangi in Nairobi, 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.
