Africa-Press – Kenya. Former Hit Squad captain Nick Okoth has finally been included in the team of coaches who will guide Kenyan boxers to the next month’s World Youth Championships in Spain.
Bringing the development to light in an exclusive interview, Hit Squad head coach Benjamin Musa said Okoth was included on the bench to inspire the young Kenyan boxers.
“I can inform you that Okoth is already in the camp helping us prepare the team that will go to Spain,” Musa said.
Thirteen boxers were selected to fly the country’s flag in the youth championship following three days of trial training at the Jericho Social Hall in Nairobi in September.
A team of 10 boys and three girls will represent the country in La Nucía from November 14-26. Musa and his deputy David Munuhe ran the highly competitive selection process, which brought together boxers from Nairobi, Laikipia, Prisons, G44 Boxing Club, Dallas Boxing Club, Police, Siaya, Kibra Boxing Club, Kajiado and Kisumu.
“We have scheduled two sessions in the morning and evening just to accommodate the squad members who are still attending school while we wait for the holidays to train full-time,” Musa said.
“We have never taken another set of boxers to the World Youth Championships since we took that position. This will be our first time to do that,” Musa said.
This event is the first-ever global boxing event to be held in Spain as the Spanish Boxing Federation led by President Felipe Martinez turns 100 years.
The decision to hire Okoth did not come as a surprise considering that he had previously indicated his ambition to join the coaching profession when he retires.
Okoth, 39, exited the stage after flying the country’s flag at the Africa Boxing Championship in Maputo, Mozambique, where he marked his final journey in the ring.
In an exclusive interview last month, Okoth conceded that age had denied him the gusto to carry on any further. He said he will use his remaining years to sharpen the claws of the new generation of Kenyan boxers.
“Enough is enough. I no longer have the energy to take on more young and vibrant blood,” Okoth said. “Now is the time to pave the way for budding boxers. We just need to tap into the existing talent pool. I have found a good number of future boxers capable of making our country proud,” he added.
Selected Team: 1. Diouf Muimi (48kgs), Emmanuel Peter (51kgs), Dennis Muiya (54kg), Wycliff Jesere (59kg), Joshua Cliffe (60kg), Meshack Abednego (63.5kg), Jared Omondi (67kg), Francis Ongeta (71kg), Douglas Muiya (86kg); Women: Juliet Akinyi, Immaculate Atieno, Faith Nafuna and Jane Wangare.
For More News And Analysis About Kenya Follow Africa-Press
