Why training alone is Nick Okoth's toughest opponent

Kenya "Hit Squad" featherweight boxer Nick Okoth works out on July 23, 2020 at RFUEA grounds as National Olympic Committee of Kenya marked 365 Days to Tokyo Olympic Games by distributing training equipment to qualified athletes.


Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • In military training, various conditioning techniques are used to re-socialise trainees into military systems, which ensures that they obey orders without hesitation, and teaches basic military skills.

Training in isolation is one of the toughest undertaking featherweight boxer Nick “Commander” Okoth has undergone since graduating from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Recruit Training School (RTS) 14 years ago.

In military training, various conditioning techniques are used to re-socialise trainees into military systems, which ensures that they obey orders without hesitation, and teaches basic military skills.

Featherweight Nick Okoth works out on March 20, 2020 at St Teresa's Social Hall.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

Re-socialising involves mental and emotional training so that they can operate in a new environment and it involves changes to an individual attitude and behaviour.

Here, direct staff, who are military personnel, who comprise of the instructional staff, have a task of making the service members fit for military use.

Boxing training sessions are similar to military training and perhaps that is the discipline that has helped shape Okoth into one of Kenya’s finest boxers.

But Okoth, who is preparing for his second appearance at the Olympic Games during the Tokyo Summer Games in 2021, has been forced to adapt to the new normal…thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Mentally, it's tough training alone since there is no one to push you unlike in a military or normal boxing training session. A coach will push you from retiring at four kilometres to six kilometres,” Okoth said.

Kenya "Hit Squad" featherweight boxer Nick Okoth works out on July 23, 2020 at RFUEA grounds as National Olympic Committee of Kenya marked 365 Days to Tokyo Olympic Games by distributing training equipment to qualified athletes.


Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

“When the mind locks when you are alone, that will be the end of the session if there is not one to push you. You plan to wake up at 6am but you find yourself waking up at 7am for training,” says Okoth, adding that the current situation requires a high sense of discipline for one to pull through.

However, Okoth, who has been training four times a week, is not worried since the national boxing team, Hit Squad coaches Benjamin Musa and David Munuhe know what to do when things open up.

“The coaches, especially Musa, know me well but I don’t want them to get me off guard when normalcy resumes. They have been giving me some programs.”

Featherweight boxer Nick Okoth (right) works out with his coach, Benjamin Musa on March 20, 2020 at St Teresa's Social Hall.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

“The mental challenge is my toughest ever since my military training days. I have been doing some road work and shadow boxing in the house just to keep fit.”

Okoth, the 2010 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, is among Kenya’s sportsmen and women who have been training individually since the government stopped all sporting activities in March in bid to combat the spread of Covid-19.

Okoth, who will be returning to the Olympic Games after 12 years in the cold, is the only other Kenyan boxer to have qualified from the Africa qualifiers in February in Dakar, Senegal.

Featherweight boxer Nick Okoth (right) in action during one of his bouts in the Olympics qualification event in Dakar, Senegal.

Photo credit: Courtesy

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, flyweight Christine Ongare, became the first Kenyan woman to qualify for Olympics from a competitive event.

Kenya "Hit Squad" boxer Christine Ongare (left) receives training equipment from Ministry of Sports Chief Administration Secretary Hassan Noor Hassan at RFUEA grounds on July 23, 2020 as National Olympic Committee of Kenya marked 365 Days to Tokyo Olympic Games by distributing training equipment to qualified athletes.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

Elizabeth Andiego made history as the first Kenyan female boxer at the Olympics when she got a wild card to the 2012 London Summer Games.

"It’s a blessing in disguise since the one year break gives me an opportunity to train well, knowing that I have qualified," says Okoth.

Okoth said that his wife, Rachel Ouko, his elder brother (the 1998 Commonwealth Games welterweight silver medallist Absolom “Diblo” Okinyi and current National team head coach Benjamin Musa played an integral part in his journey back to Olympics.

“I just want to thank God for giving me another stab at the Olympics,” says Okoth, whose last appearance in the Olympics was during the 2008 Beijing Games, the year that Okinyi hanged his gloves.

"My wife and children have made so many sacrifices for me by giving me the peace and time I need at home,” says Okoth, adding that his brother Okinyi taught him some techniques that proved vital in the ring.

"He taught me how to maintain my range, calculate my scoring strategy, and hitting the target before making a follow up immediately plus side movements," says Okoth, the father of three - Kevin (15), Delhi (8) and Lisa (four months).

Okoth hails from a rich boxing background. Besides Okinyi, who is also the 1999 Africa welterweight silver medallist and Directorate of Criminal Investigations officer, his brothers Steve “Omosh” Omondi and Paul “Polosa” Ouma are boxers.

Okoth, the winner of the 2005 Africa Zone V Championship in Nairobi, and his cousin Edwin Okong’o, who is also from KDF, have represented KDF and Kenya at many international events.

The boxers, who grew up at Nairobi’s sprawling Mathare slums, brewed their boxing skills at the renowned St Teresa’s Boxing Club at Eastleigh under Musa and other coaches.

“Diblo handed me over to Musa and as they, the rest is history. Musa is the best coach I can think of.”

Okoth, who is the only Olympian in the family, claimed bronze in lightweight at the 2015 Congo Brazzaville African Games and gold at the 2015 African Boxing Championship held at the same venue.

His victory during the African Olympics qualifiers in Namibia in 2008 that propelled him to his maiden Olympics appearance at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, losing in the preliminaries to Arturo Santos Reyes from Mexico.

“Tokyo definitely will be my last Olympics as a boxer based on the age factor but I am not hanging my gloves yet,” says Okoth, adding that it’s his desire to mould young boxers while at KDF.

“When that time comes, I would love to venture into coaching at KDF. I would also like to handle the Hit Squad,” says Okoth.