The head coach of Kenya’s national boxing team, Benjamin Musa, is optimistic about the valuable experience his boxers will gain from their specialized training camp in Cuba, thanks to a collaboration between the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Arts, and Sports in Kenya and the Cuban government.
During an interview, Musa highlighted the importance of this training for the boxers, emphasizing the unique exposure it offers them before the continental qualifiers. He expressed gratitude to the sports ministry, particularly CS Ababu Namwamba, for enabling the team to access this crucial exposure, which is often hard to come by. Musa believes that this opportunity will enhance their chances of securing Olympic qualifications, making the trip to Havana a historic moment in Kenya’s boxing history.
The ‘Hit Squad’ is currently training in Havana, Cuba’s capital, as they prepare for the Africa Olympic Qualifiers scheduled to be held in Dakar, Senegal, from September 6th to 16th, 2023. This training camp, taking place at the La Finca Gym, has been underway for the past week.
The ‘Hit Squad’ consists of 12 boxers, each focusing on their respective weight categories, with the top three boxers in each category earning qualification spots for the Olympics.
Here is the list of the boxers by weight category:
Women:
- Christine Ongare – Flyweight
- Amina Martha – Bantamweight
- Pauline Chege – Featherweight
- Teresia Wanjiru – Lightweight
- Friza Anyango – Welterweight
- Elizabeth Andiego – Middleweight
Men:
- David Karanja – Flyweight
- Samuel Njau – Featherweight
- Ethan Maina – Lightweight
- Boniface Mogunde – Light middleweight
- Peter Abuti – Heavyweight
- Fredrick Ramogi – Super Heavyweight