•The National Boxing League, which culminated in Nakuru county after five intense rounds of competition, was the highlight of this year's boxing scene.
•National Police Service boxing team 'Chafua Chafua' emerged as the 2022 Kenya national champions after racking up 133 points in Nakuru.
Image: FILE
Unlike in the past, the Kenyan national anthem is no longer frequently played on the winners' podium at the Olympic Games in honour of Hit Squad boxers.
Despite years of decline and neglect, there are now frantic efforts to resurrect the sport locally, thanks to the resilience of the Boxing Federation of Kenya.
The National Boxing League, which culminated in Nakuru county after five intense rounds of competition, was the highlight of this year's boxing scene.
National Police Service boxing team 'Chafua Chafua' emerged as the 2022 Kenya national champions after racking up 133 points in Nakuru.
The law enforcers' victory was the fourth in the five-course tournament that began in Kitale earlier this year. Coach Dave Munuhe, who led Police to victory, attributed their triumph to hard work.
"I am happy that we have been able to retain our title and our focus is now on next year's activities because the Kenya Boxing Federation will be organising a series of tournaments. It will be a busy year for us," Munuhe said.
Image: FILE
During the championship, Kenya Defence Forces 'Defaba' emerged runners-up after collecting 112 points as Nairobi County fizzled to a distant third with 46.
Kibra Olympic was fourth with 29 points followed by Kisumu County (15) as Githurai 44 and Kajiado County tied for sixth with 14 points each.
Kongowea (13), Vihiga County (12), Laikipia County (10), Mbaraki (6), and Siaya County (6) completed the top 10 list.
Meru County and Dallas ranked 11th with five points while Nakuru and Trans Nzoia counties were joint bottom of the standings with a point each.
The tournament's success was a boon for the Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK), which has been frantically rolling out programs this year after a two-year hiatus caused by the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic.
Hit Squad head coach Benjamin Musa called the year a resounding success.“Everything ran smoothly according to plan and we managed to implement all our programs with much success,” he said.
Musa warned veteran boxers they risk losing their spot in the national team if they don't work hard enough to counter emerging talent.
Image: BFK
"Considering how some young boxers performed during the five rounds of the national league, there is a very high possibility of having new faces in the national team from next year," Musa said.
"We saw the emergence of new players who were successful in taking on seasoned boxers. We saw new counties emerge from the shadows, such as Vihiga and Trans Nzoia, and challenge traditional behemoths like Kenya Prisons.
"To increase the chances of playing for the national team, Musa encouraged boxers across the country to train hard and compete as much as they can.
"We will start identifying boxers for our national team in January and everything will be done on merit. There is a need to give young people the opportunity to fill the gap that has been left by retired boxers like Nick Okoth," Musa said.
Musa said their first mission next year will be in Tanzania where they will deploy a blend of youth and experience.
"Our first job in the new year will be in Tanzania at the East and Central Elite and Youth Boxing championship.
"Priority will be given to our young players, who were unable to travel to Spain for the World Youth Championship due to a lack of funds. We shall also travel with the Kenya Police boxing team, who won the National Boxing League," Musa said.
Kenya will attempt to replicate their success in 2022 when Hit Squad boxers adorned their trophy cabinet with medals.
Image: HANDOUT
Hit Squad brushed aside insurmountable odds to emerge second at the Africa Zone 3 Championship that concluded in Kinshasa Congo in March.
Kenya secured a total of 18 medals in the momentous swoop to emerge second behind the hosts who bagged 38 medals including 13 gold, 13 silver, and 12 bronze medals.
David Karanja (flyweight), Samuel Njau (featherweight), and Shaffi Bakari Hassan (bantamweight) were the toasts of the tournament after bagging gold in the men's category.
Female pugilists Elizabeth Andiego (light-heavy), Evelyne Akinyi (welterweight), and Teresia Wanjiru (light-welterweight) also punched furiously on the bag on their way to the winner's podium.
“We managed to get 18 medals in total, six gold, 5 silver, and seven bronze. That's a marked improvement from last year's edition that also took place here in Kinshasa where we won 13 medals,” Musa said.
“We performed well if we take into account the challenges we faced here where competition and technical rules were blatantly disregarded.
“We have identified some aspects of the game that we need to work on going forward."
On his part, assistant coach Dave Munuhe expressed satisfaction with the team's performance.
“We may have preferred to lay claim to all the medals in the competition but what we achieved was immense,” Munuhe said.
Image: ERICK BARASA
“It's a big step forward if we compare the outcome with what we achieved last year. This is not only a big plus for the team but also for the Boxing Federation of Kenya.
Christine Ongare (featherweight), Stacy Ayoma (lightweight), Lorna Kusa (light-middleweight) and Elizabeth Akinyi (middleweight), and Victor Odhiambo all settled for silver.
Ann Wanjiru (flyweight), Alice Waiyego (bantamweight), Amina Martha (featherweight), Boniface Mugunde (light-middleweight), and Francis Denga (light-heavyweight) all bagged bronze.
The Hit Squad then had another outstanding performance at the Africa Boxing Championship in Maputo, Mozambique, in April.
Elizabeth Andiego, the team's deputy captain, won silver at the championships. Andiego, who lost in the finals of the women's heavyweight division to Moroccan Mardi Khadija, also received Sh602,000 ($5000) set aside for the tournament's runners-up. She was one of three Kenyans who advanced to the finals of the premier annual boxing extravaganza.
Andiego, 35, annihilated Tekasala Malewu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on her way to victory. She attributes her meteoric rise to careful planning and hard work.
Featherweight Samuel Njau and captain Nick Okoth also claimed the silver. Andiego, 35, pulveriseed Tekasala Malewu of the Democratic Republic of Congo on her way to momentous glory. She has attributed her meteoric rise to proper preparation and hard work.
With that kind of success, BFK honcho Anthony Otieno Ombok believes the country is about to experience better tidings.
“The journey has just begun and I won't lie to you, the future of the sport in this country is bright,” Ombok said.
“As long as we work hard, we are likely to go far. I want to see a situation where boxers will own their cars. I'll be the first one to ask you for a lift to town,” he said.
Ombok has stated that comprehensive plans are in place to replace the current crop of aging boxers with young and vibrant blood.
Ombok emphasized the importance of beginning early preparations for the next Olympics, saying the federation would increase support to propel the Hit Squad to the medal podium at the next games.
“We should now start thinking seriously about bridging the gap that will be occasioned by the exit of the likes of Nick Okoth and Christine Ongare. Some of the boxers who flew Kenya's flag at the Tokyo Olympics may not be available for national duty owing to advanced age,” he said.
Ombok said that BFK learned some key lessons at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games that will be used to enhance the country's performance in future events.
“Every boxer nurse dreams of participating in the Olympics someday. We deployed four boxers at the just concluded games but unfortunately, we didn't secure any medals.
“We are putting structures in place to nurture budding boxers who will take over from those who have already played a crucial role in serving the country,” he added.
Despite Hit Squad’s heartbreak at Tokyo Games, Ombok remains optimistic about the country's future on the international stage. He believes the Paris 2024 games in France will offer new tidings.
“I’m convinced Hit Squad will bag medals in the next Olympics and not just one but quite a number. This is because we have many young people who have embraced boxing. They saw what the quartet did in Tokyo and felt motivated.”
“Right now, we have put in place the necessary structures and incentives to push the Hit Squad to the sky. They have all been receiving their allowances in good time and besides, they have all the facilities and equipment prerequisite for good performance,” said Ombok.
“Our boxers have absolutely no reason not to perform given the favorable environment they are operating from,” he added.
Ombok prevailed upon the BFK leadership to continue pulling in one direction, pointing out they stand to gain some considerable traction with a firm unity of purpose.
Image: HANDOUT
“When I took over the leadership of BFK, I made it clear that we must always work as a team to achieve our set objective, and that's precisely what we've done so far,” said Ombok.
Ombok stressed the need to reactivate all the activities that stuttered to an abrupt halt in the damning wake of the ravenous Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
“The existence of the coronavirus pandemic disoriented some of our plans. We have rolled out the inter-county boxing championships and followed it up with the inter-club competition. We have set aside time specifically for elite and junior tournaments,” said Ombok.
He reiterated BFK’s plan to increase its presence by spreading its tentacles further across the country.
“If you visit areas such as Busia, you will most definitely run into a beehive of activities unlike in the past when boxing was limited to Nairobi. That's what has always been our target — to roll out programs at the grassroots.”
Meanwhile, Musa has bemoaned the reduction of the African quota at the Olympic games by the International Olympic Committee which will in turn harm Kenya's chances at the grandest stage.
"We have a tough and demanding program next year because there will be Olympic qualifiers. But the competition for Olympic slots will be at another level because the IOC has reduced the number of slots reserved for Africa," said Musa.
The IOC will only accept boxers who win gold in the continental qualifiers. The Olympic body has narrowed the field to seven male and six female boxers.
"That's how hard it is. This decision is killing the spirit of the Olympics which is about participation. Initially, they took the top three boxers in each group when qualification was still done by the International Boxing Federation (IBA)," Musa said.