Boxing: Veterans Ongare, Okoth named in All Africa Games team

KDF's Nick Okoth (left) in a past bout against Ethan Maina of Kenya Police, in Nairobi. [Jonah Onyango]

Commonwealth women bronze medallist Christine Ongare and Olympian Nick Okoth are among boxers who made the provisional list for the team preparing for All Africa Games to be held next month in Morocco.

The team was selected on the final day of the national boxing league’s third leg at the Uwanja wa Mbuzi grounds, in Mombasa.

Despite being knocked out at the semi-final by Ethan Maina of Kenya Police, Okoth, the 36-year-old 2008 Beijing Olympian was picked due to his experience in international assignments.

During the 2018 Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast in Australia, Okoth collided with his opponent from Trinidad Michael Alexander forcing the doctors to end the bout.

Flyweight Ongare won bronze medal after losing 5-0 to Northern Ireland’s Carly Mcnaul in the semi-final bout at the Australia Games.

Okoth, the only Olympian in the national team to the Morocco assignment, hopes to win gold before he hits 40 years, which is the maximum age set for amateurs, according to the world governing body, AIBA.

Also included in the team is Police’s Shaffi Bakari, who took part in the All Africa Games, in Brazzaville. Also is light welterweight category is Victor Odhiambo of Kenya Defence Force (KDF).