'Hit Squad' starts hunt for medals in Cameroon

The national boxing team's head coach Benjamin Musa will bank on a favourable draw as the Africa Boxing Confederation Championships get underway in Yaounde, Cameroon on Friday.

Musa expects five or more of his pugilists to reach the medal bracket and an improved performance from the previous championship held last September in Maputo.

Kenya finished 12th overall in Maputo with three silver medals and a bronze medal. Three of the medallists are in Cameroon for the continental battle.

Elizabeth Andiego (heavyweight) and Samuel Njau (featherweight) claimed silver medals in Maputo while Boniface Mogunde (light middleweight took home bronze.

Andiego, 36, who is the first Kenyan female boxer to grace the Olympics (2012 London), continues to make history after she became the first female boxer to captain the Hit Squad.

Andiego, a former taekwondo trialist, will be deputised by Mogunde in the championships where Kenya will be represented by 15 boxers; 10 men and five women.

Kenya was represented by eight boxers in Maputo.

The team arrived in Yaounde on Wednesday ahead of the technical meeting that was to be followed by the draw Thursday evening.

The only medallist missing from the team is Nick Okoth, the 2017 lightweight Africa champion, who settled for silver in Maputo.

Okoth retired after Maputo and is now the International Boxing Association (IBA) Star One coach.

“We have had one month of preparation, which isn’t enough as we were not sure if we would travel.  We are ready for business and hope for an improved performance,” said Musa, adding that he can only predict the number of medals after the draw has been done.

“But, of course, I expect better results from Njau, who is a gold medal prospect in addition to Mogunde and Andiego,” explained Musa.

“She is a good listener and hardworking, hence a good example to others. The fact that she was elected by fellow boxers explains it all,” Musa said of his decision to name Andiego the captain.

Andiego made history as the first ever Kenyan female boxer to qualify for the finals at the continental championships in Maputo n the Africa Championships in Maputo.

Andiego lost to former world heavyweight silver medallist Khadija El-Mardi from Morocco in the battle for gold in Maputo.

Making his debut in the continental event in Maputo, Njau lost to home boxer Rugoberto Sigauque on points in the featherweight contest.

Five men and one woman will be making their first appearance in the continental extravaganza.

Abednego Kyalo (minimum weight), Anthony Maina (light welterweight), Robert Okaka (light heavyweight), Peter Abuti (heavyweight), Fred Ramogi (super heavyweight) and Friza Onyango (welterweight) will all be making their debut in Yaounde.

Shaffi Bakari (bantamweight) and Christine Ongare's (minimumweight), whose journey ended at the quarter-finals in Maputo, and Amina Martha (bantamweight) and David Karanja (flyweight) exited in the first round are all in Yaounde.

Africa Boxing Confederation has for the second time unveiled prize money for the championships even though it has been scaled down.

The gold medal winners will pocket US$15,000 (Sh 2.13m) while silver medallists will go home US$10,000 (Sh 1.42m) and bronze medallists US$5,000 (Sh710,000).

All those losing in the quarter-finals will pocket US$1,250 (Sh177,500).

Women: Elizabeth Andiego (Light heavy), Christine Ongare(Minimum weight), Amina Martha (bantamweight), Teresiah Wanjiru (light welterweight), Friza Anyango (welterweight)

Men: Boniface Mogunde (light middleweight), Samuel Njau (featherweight), Abednego Kyalo (minimumweight), David Karanja (flyweight), Shaffi Bakari (bantamweight), Anthiny Maina (light welterweight), Robert Okaka (light heavyweight), Peter Abuti ( heavyweight), Fred Ramogi (super heavyweight).

Coaches: Musa Benjamin, David Munuhe and John Waweru.