•Okoth said he was mesmerised by the fresh crop of boxers who proved their mettle at the three-day national trials that concluded at the Kaloleni Social Hall on Saturday.
•Okoth attributed his flop at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to inadequate exposure.
Hit Squad captain Nick Okoth has vowed to brush aside his debacle in Birmingham and lay claim to a gold medal at the forthcoming African Boxing Championships in Maputo, Mozambique.
Okoth was part of the quartet that flew the country's flag at the quadrennial global show in the UK.
Okoth attributed his flop at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to inadequate exposure but said he had gleaned the vital ingredients that can steer him to a podium finish in Maputo.
“While our rivals were busy participating in tournaments, we remained in camp hoping for the best. It's all about exposure. The more competitions you attend, the better you become,” Okoth quipped.
“The fact that all of us fought to the end of our bouts is a clear testimony that we were good at individual basis but lacked the necessary experience that usually comes with exposure.”
Okoth said he was mesmerised by the fresh crop of boxers who proved their mettle at the three-day national trials that concluded at the Kaloleni Social Hall on Saturday.
“I was excited to see a new set of upcoming boxers who were good at what they were going. Their presence added some flavour to the event. In the past, the tournaments have been so predictable because we've had the same boxers battling in the ring,” Okoth said.
His remarks are in stark contrast to those made by Hit Squad head coach Benjamin Musa who said he noticed a huge gap between the existing members of the national team and the budding boxers.
Speaking on the sidelines of the national trials, Musa said the boxers who have not plied trade for the country in recent years still have some catch-up to do.
“We noticed there is still a huge gap between the current crop of Hit Squad members and the rest of our boxers. We hope they'll be able to speed up before our trip to Maputo,” Musa said.
Musa made his observations after selecting a strong team of 29 boxers who will hold down the fort for Kenya at the Maputo games.
Okoth headlines the star-studded list of pugilists selected for the African show. The team also boasts seasoned Hit Squad luminaries including Shaffi Bakari, Christine Ongare and Elizabeth Andiego and Elly Ajowi.
They will report for a week-long training camp at the Mathare Depot in Nairobi on Tuesday ahead of their trip on September 7.
The premier annual showpiece, organised by the continental governing body ABU, is set to run from September 9 to 18.