Hit Squad head coach Musa names Birmingham-bound team

National boxing team head coach, Benjamin Musa, has named a star-studded four-member squad for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games slated for July.

The 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Christine Ongare and veteran Hit Squad captain Nick Okoth headline the final list that also includes Africa Zone 3 champions Elizabeth Andiego (light-heavyweight) and Shaffi Bakari (bantamweight).

Coach Musa said he used merit to pick the boxers from the initial eight-member provisional squad.

“Besides technical and tactical prowess, the National Olympics Committee of Kenya gave us a condition to gauge the medal prospects of individual boxers before including them in the Kenyan contingent,” Musa said.

“From 2019, we've had our sights on the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. So, I considered how the boxers have been performing since then and picked the most deserving," Musa noted. 

“All the four have graced the Games at one point in their careers and, therefore, boast enough experience," he added. 

Musa, however, said he felt dejected after being forced to offload David Karanja, Boniface Mugunde, Elly Ajowi and Elizabeth Akinyi.

“Those are boxers I would have wished to have in the traveling party. Unfortunately, I had to exclude them from the list given the number of slots set aside for the national team.”

Musa reiterated the importance of retaining the rest of the provisional squad as sparring partners.

The boxers have been sharpening their talons at Moi Stadium, Kasarani after being summoned to a residential training camp three weeks ago.

“Anytime we are given a break from Team Kenya's training camp at Kasarani, I take that opportunity to increase the number of training partners while training at the Mathare Depot.

“I've been inviting southpaw boxer Victor Odhiambo to serve as Nick Okoth's training partner and Jeff Shigali to train with Elizabeth Andiego because they belong in the same weight category,” Musa said.

Okoth, a bronze medallist in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, is taking part in the games for the fourth time while Andiego and Ongare are making their third appearance in the Commonwealth Games.

Ongare will look to replicate her splendid form at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, where she bagged the bronze after crashing out in the semi-finals. She barged past Sri Lanka's Dulani Jayasinghe in the first round but lost on points to Northern Ireland's Carly McNaul in the semi-finals.