World body names nine Kenyan boxers as Star One coaches

Kenya's Women Middleweight champion Elizabeth Andiego training in Nairobi. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

As Kenya heads to Serbia for the World Boxing Championships, International Boxing Association (AIBA) has appointed nine former international stars as Star One coaches.

They are 1984 Los Angeles Olympic flyweight bronze medalist Ibrahim ‘Surf’ Bilali, Olympian Benson Gicharu, national middleweight champion Elizabeth Andiego and Kenya captain Nick ‘Commander’ Okoth.

Others are former flyweight champion Mildred Atieno, Nick Abaka of Kenya Defence Forces, Bernard Ngumba, Chris Onyango and Lemmy Thiong’o.

This follows a virtual examination of 20 coaches by AIBA in Nairobi in last year.

Boxing Federation of Kenya Secretary General David Munuhe confirmed the approval of the nine coaches by AIBA saying their work will commence at the grassroot.

“Although they are qualified for appointment to the national team technical bench, their work commence at the grassroots where we intend to scout for talented players and mould them to become the best,” Munuhe said.

Kenya has not held AIBA training of coaches for the past decade.