Nick Okoth commands boxing team as they eye Club Games glory in UK

Nick Okoth in a past tournament at Charter Hall, Nairobi. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Eight boxers who featured in the World Boxing Championships and Africa Zone Three Championships have been retained as the squad begins its official residential training camp for Commonwealth Games.

The Games are slated for Birmingham, England from July 27 to August 8. They are led by captain and 2015 Africa Boxing Championships lightweight gold medallist Nick Okoth, with reigning Africa Zone Three light heavyweight gold medallist Elizabeth Andiego as his deputy.

Others are Commonwealth Games flyweight bronze medallist Christine Ongare, Africa Zone Three flyweight gold medallist David Karanja, bantamweight gold medallist Shaffi Bakari and bantamweight bronze medallist Amina Martha and middleweight bronze medallist Boniface Mogunde and featherweight sensational Isaac Meja.

Head coach Musa Benjamin said they have been forced to trim the team to a sizeable number owing to limited slots awarded to them by the government.

Benjamin said they had hoped for more slots since boxing is a medal sport but they are ready to put up with what is available.

“We had hoped to take two full teams of male and female boxers for the Club Games but our efforts have been hampered by the few allocations of slots awarded to us by the government,” Benjamin said.

“As a medal sport, we appeal for more slots so that we can take more boxers to the games. This will give them necessary exposure.”

Besides featuring in Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships, Kenya Boxing Federation sent the male and female teams for the global championships in Belgrade, Serbia and Istanbul, Turkey respectively.