National boxing team captain Boniface Mugunde is optimistic that Kenya will send a significant number of pugilists to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Africa Championship light-middleweight bronze medalist said the country's improved performance at the IBA World Boxing Championships attests to the huge traction it has gained on the global stage.
"In Uzbekistan, three Kenyan boxers sailed to the last 16 for the first time since 2013. That's a clear indication that we are gradually finding our footing on the international stage," Mugunde said.
Mugunde, 29, has vowed to spearhead the Kenyan hunt for Olympic berths at the upcoming qualifiers.
"We've been training for a while now and I can assure you that morale in camp has been fantastic. We are all determined to make the final team," Mugunde said.
"I give God praise for giving me the chance to join the team; It is never simple. I believe everyone is anticipating the Olympics, which is my main focus now."
He expressed disappointment in the shocking news that Kenya had withdrawn from the Africa Boxing Championships that begin in Yaounde, Cameroon next week.
"Of course, it's quite disheartening to miss out on the competition after psyching ourselves up for the event. To some extent, it's a blessing in disguise because we now have more time to prepare for the qualifiers."
"I'd like to thank our coaches for the good job they are doing for us and I promise to work closely with them to improve our performance in subsequent competitions," he continued.
He will be heading to the qualifiers buoyed by the impressive form he exhibited in Uzbekistan, where he was among the three Kenyan boxers to storm the quarters for the first time in a decade.
He also clinched a gold medal at the fourth edition of the annual Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO) games in Kigali, Rwanda in March.
The hard-hitting puncher reckons the World Championships provided him with the necessary edge to vanquish his opponents at the qualifiers.
"I feel ready for the task ahead since it is only recently that I won a medal in Rwanda, where we attended the regional inter-police games," he said.
Mugunde promised to punch for a seat on the Kenyan plane to France while acknowledging the fierce competition he anticipates ahead.
"Nothing worthwhile comes easily, so if one wants to succeed, he or she must give it their all," he concluded.
