Kenya's envoy to Cuba visits Hit Squad camp in Havana

Kenya's second Head of Mission and envoy to Cuba - Ambassador Gathoga W. Chege on Saturday 2 September paid a visit to the Kenyan national boxing team - Hit Squad - who are currently on a week-long visit in the island country, welcoming them to the premier boxing destination while also urging them to make a point of working towards representing their country in the world-over, and not just in the continent.

Accompanying the Kenyan representatives at the famous La Finca Gym was Cuban Boxing Federation President Alberto Puig de la Barca who also sounded a similar message, taking pride in the progress Kenya has made in securing opportunity to train with Cuban boxers, hoping that the added exposure would work both ways - in regards to sharpening both groups of boxers.

Hit Squad’s 12 boxers and an additional group of technical officials and coaches made the trip to Cuba on the night of Friday 25 August to Havana - Cuba’s capital city for a week before embarking on their Paris 2024 Olympics qualification journey in Dakar, Senegal set to take place from 6-16 September.

The move, as confirmed by Amb. Chege on Friday, involved a certain meeting back in 2018 - between the then Kenyan Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Achesa Mohammed and the Cuban government - that would see Kenyan sportsmen experience some aspects of training from Caribbean country.

“I want to take this opportunity to welcome Kenya’s boxing team to Cuba,” Chege said to both the Cuban and Kenyan sides gathered at La Finca. “I think this is the first time we have had such a significant number of Kenyans in this country, which gives me pride.”

Back in 1974, Chege recalls of light flyweight boxer Steve Muchoki - who made a trip to the Cuban capital - enroute to a silver medal at the inaugural 1974 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Havana, Cuba.

“What makes me happier and proud is that there have been other boxers who trained here and ended up doing great things,” Chege said of Muchoki’s exploits. “I am telling you this so you get to understand that there were predecessors before you and trailblazer a trajectory of achieving glory that you should all follow.”

For the past five days, the Kenyan team - both men and women - has been undertaking hard training sessions with the Cuban squad also preparing for the Pan African Games and as Chege pointed out from discussions with the current Kenyan Sports Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts Hon. Ababu Namwamba, the running exchange program between both governments will also see Cuban athletes visit Kenya.

“We look forward to a great partnership that will see us gain expertise to propel us forward,” Chege said, thanking the School of Cuban boxing for the opportunity.

The Kenyan squad was also praised for their ‘hard work’ and ‘great show of responsibility’ that embodies Cuba’s core motives in sport.

Hit Squad place 17th overall in concluded Africa Boxing Championships

Cubans lead the medal table of the IBA World Boxing Championships with 80 gold, 35 silver and 28 bronze medals since the very first edition of the tournament in 1974 that took place in Havana.