Potential move to Cuba awaits Kenya's boxing team to Olympic qualifiers

There is increasing possibility that Kenya’s national boxing team the Hit Squad, will travel to Cuba ahead of their international and pivotal assignment in Dakar, Senegal.

Confirming the recent development to Mozzart Sport, Boxing Federation of Kenya Communications Director Duncan Kuria mentioned that the team had received an alert of the same from the ministry, and are now in final deliberations to necessitate a move to one of the world’s top international boxing destinations.

Cuba lies second on the all-time medal table for boxing at the Olympic Games with 37 gold, 19 silver and 17 bronze medals, second to the United States who have more golds with 50, seven of those in an all-American competition sweep at the sport's Olympic debut at St Louis 1904.

Seven more came in the period up to and including 1932 in Los Angeles.

The proposal to shift base to Havana was confirmed by Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba early May this year, with the partnership agreement between the Kenyan and Cuban governments set to see boxers, athletes and volleyball players gain access to quality pre-Olympics camps that consolidate the already existing Miramas camp in France.

Hit Squad team named as quest for Olympic glory escalates

“If you fail to plan you are planning to fail,” CS Ababu said then, and in a memorandum of understanding that also included talks with Cuban Ambassador to Kenya H.E Juan Manuel Rodriguez. “We cannot emphasize enough the importance of early preparations. I am glad that the National Olympic Committee has learnt from these previous mistakes.”

The move could prove timely for the group of Kenya’s 13 boxers who will battle hard in this year’s Olympics Qualifiers slated for 9-15 September, where Hit Squad’s targets remain as clinching a first Olympics gold medal since 1998.

“If successful, the trip will be extremely beneficial for us as we get a chance to see and work with the best,” Kuria told Mozzart Sport. “All our selected boxers are in camp already and should all travel.”

It is not clear however, how long the training camp will be, even as the continent grapples with this year’s reduced slots to the Paris games, one that has seen several boxers shift weight categories in a bid to earn qualification.

As reported on Friday last week, Kenya’s team will be led by previous Olympian Elizabeth Andiego, who will be flanked by compatriot Christine Ongare and light middleweight boxer and men’s team skipper Boniface Mugunde.

Kasaya: New role a blessing in disguise

Kenya’s last boxing assignment saw the country jet home with a total seven bronze medals garnered in the recently concluded IBA Africa Boxing Championships in Yaounde, Cameroon.

In the meantime, all boxers are assembling at the Mathare Police Depot for team drills before a potential landmark trip happens.