Kenyan boxers relish Sri Lanka success

By ERICK OCHIENG’

Simon Mulinge (left), Rayton Okwiri (centre) and Dennis Okoth display their medals upon arrival at JKIA from Sri Lanka, yesterday. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO / STANDARD]

Team Kenya for the Lions Cup International Boxing tournament in Sri Lanka returned home yesterday to a warm reception  after winning  gold, silver and a bronze.

At  Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to receive the team was Commonwealth Sports Council Director Reuben Ndolo and Boxing Association of Kenya (Bak) officials led by  President John Kameta.

Kenya  ended the contest fourth overall among 12 nations including  Australia, Belgium, Taipei, China, Korea, Singapore, Malasyia among others that participated.

Kenya Prisons’s boxing sensation Rayton Okwiri gave the country  a first ever gold after 13 years in the championship.

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) boxer Denis Okoth  won for the country silver  in a controversial  light welter final that even fans from the host country believed he was robbed.

Simon Mulinge,also of KDF, won the bronze while other boxers in the five  man Kenya ‘Hit Squad’ team was Olympian Benson Gicharu (Bantam) and John Kariuki (Light) who were both eliminated in the quarters.

Okwiri won the welter weight category after edging out opponents from Australia (3-0), Sri Lanka( 3-0), Philippines (2-1, semi) and Belgium (2-0, finals).

While admitting it was a tough battle  against his Philippine opponent who knocked him  down in the semi’s first round  before he managed to pay back in a similar fashion in the third round  Okwiri said he learnt valuable lessons that will help him in his chase for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games title.

“I and the  rest of the team will have to step up training to improve on our punching power, strength and supplementary,” said the gold medalist, whose role model is American and  world beater Floyd Mayweather.

Okwiri believes it is only boxers from Wales and Canada who poses a threat to Kenya at the Commonwealth Games and the tactics learnt in Sri Lanka will be vital to ward off the  threat and challenge.

Ndolo  said Kenya was able to win  the coveted gold and post impressive result in the global tournament due to the new found unity in Bak  hatched two weeks ago at the Commonwealth trials in Kaloleni, Nairobi.

“Sports is a  great unifying factor,  Bak   has started to reap  its fruits because of unity in the federation.

Unity is what can eliminate terrorism in this country,”said Ndolo.

Kameta said the  federation has long term  focus with the team with an ultimate target of 2016 Rio  de Janeiro Olympics in  Brazil.

“I am  calling upon the government and other stakeholders to come forward and support this team as they keep focus toward the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and Brazil Olympics,”Kameta said.

Head coach Albert Matito said he is going to prepare the team adequately a head of an international tournament to be held in Mombasa on May 31 against opponents from Zambia. –[email protected]