As was expected Elizabeth Andiego and Boniface Mogunde lead the National Boxing team for the Africa Boxing Championships that boxes-off in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday and ends on October 27.
Team captain Andiego, the Africa Zone Three heavyweight gold medallist and a one-time Africa Championships silver medallist is the most experienced boxer in the squad ahead of Mogunde who is the deputy captain.
However, Andiego will ply in the light heavyweight (81kg) while Mogunde is set for the normal light middleweight (71kg), a division he has plied in for a number of years.
Head coach Musa Benjamin named a squad of nine and three female boxers who are ready to roar in the championships.
All boxers named in the squad have in the past featured in the continental championships save for flyweight Faith Nafuna.
Nafuna has replaced former Commonwealth Games flyweight bronze medallist Christine Ongare who has been dropped.
Speaking before naming of the squad, Benjamin said the boxers were in good shape and ready to give their best at the showpiece.
“The boxers have had good sessions in non-residential training and no one is willing to disappoint having in mind we still have a number of international assignments still lined up,” he told Standard Sports.
THE SQUAD
MINIMUM WEIGHT (48KG) - Silas Onyango
FLYWEIGHT (51KG) - Abednego Kyalo and Faith Nafuna
BANTAMWEIGHT (54KG) - Amina Martha
FEATHERWEIGHT (57KG) - Shaffi Bakari
LIGHTWELTER (60KG) - Aloice Vincent
LIGHT MIDDLEWEIGHT (71KG) - Boniface Mogunde
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (81KG) - Robert Okaka and Elizabeth Andiego
CRUISERWEIGHT (85KG) - Chrispine Ochanda
HEAVYWEIGHT (92KG) - Peter Abuti
SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT (OVER 92) - Clinton Macharia