Hit Squad plays second fiddle to DRC once again

For the second time in a row, Kenya finished runners-up as the curtains came down on the Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships at Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi on Friday night.

Kenya reaped a total of 24 medals with five gold, 11 silver and eight bronze, behind Democratic Republic of Congo, who retained the title with 21 medals.

DRC, whose boxers exhibited lots of professionalism throughout in all their bouts, won 12 gold, five silver and four bronze medals.

Once again, the rivalry between Kenya and DRC was witnessed, but the Central African nation proved too powerful than the East Africans.

Kenya entered two squads of 35 boxers as the hosting country as per the Africa Zone Three requirements, compared to DRC's 25 (13 men and 12 female boxers).

Only one continental giant in the Kenyan squad won a gold medal at the ended regional championship.

He was Africa Boxing Championships light middleweight gold medallist Boniface Mogunde, who beat compatriot upcoming Alvin Oduor (in the same weight) in the finals to retain his status in the continental showpiece.

"I came here for serious business, and that's exactly what I did in readiness for other international assignments," Mogunde told Standard Sports.

Africa Games middleweight gold medallist Edwin Okong'o was stopped in the semi-finals to walk home with a silver medal. Kenya's other gold medal came from Silas Onyango who dismissed Mayala Tsimba of DRC in the light flyweight finals

The event prepared Hit Squad for the Elite World Men Boxing Championships set for Dubai in the United Arab Emirates from December 2-13.

The Kenyan female boxers who won gold medals were flyweight Veronica Mbithe, bantamweight Amina Martha and light middleweight Frizah Anyango. Anyango defeated Muleketi Nsi of DRC.

Head Coach Musa Benjamin said such events were helping him build a team for the future.

"By building a formidable side like DRC, we must start from somewhere with competitive matches like in the Zone Three," Benjamin said.

Coming third in the competition was Uganda with a total of 15 medals: five gold, four silver and six bronze. Uganda have had considerable growth in their boxing standards.

Cameroon followed with two gold and three bronze medals ahead of Tanzania (one gold, four silver and 13 bronze medals), Ethiopia (a silver and two bronze medals), Gabon (three bronze medals) and Rwanda (two bronze medals).