Boxing Union (ABU) middleweight champion Rayton Okwiri will lead other top boxers ahead of the Africa Olympic Games qualifiers set for February 20-29 at the International Expo Centre, Diamniadio, Dakar, Senegal
The Olympian and professional boxer will lead the men’s title chase and will be hoping to return to the Olympics after the professional boxer winning a record of six wins and a draw (6-0-1), supports the AIBA and IOC move.
The 33-year-old Okwiri was named in a squad of 27 boxers; 18 men and nine women for the Africa qualifiers in Senegal.
Head coach Benjamin Musa said the final squad will be named after a three-nation tournament involving Uganda and Tanzania at the end of January. The team will leave the country between February 15-17 to Dakar.
Okwiri’s middleweight category has African Games bronze medallist George Cosby (Police) and Edwin Okongó (Kenya Defence Forces).
African Games silver medallist Shaffi Bakari (Police)
and David Karanja make the flyweight category while African Game bronze
medallist Boniface Mogunde (Police) is the only one picked in welterweight.
Another Africa Games bronze medallist Fredrick Ramogi and Tobias Okeyo make the
super heavyweight team. Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Christine Ongare
and Veronicah Mbithe form the flyweight team.
Team:
Men
Flyweight: Shaffi Bakari, David Karanja
Featherweight: Martin Oduor, Nick Okoth
Lightweight: Ethan Maina, Joseph Shigali, Victor Odhiambo, Azaad Nazir
Welterweight: Boniface Mogunde
Middleweight: Rayton Okwiri, George Cosby, Ewin Okongó
Light heavyweight: Humphrey Ochieng, Hezron Maganga
Heavyweight: Elly Ajowi, Joshua Wasike
Super Heavyweight: Fredrick Ramogi, Tobias Okeyo
Women
Flyweight: Chrstine Ongare, Veronicah Mbithe
Featherweight: Beatrice Akoth, Anne wanjiru
Lightweight: Everline Akinyi, Stacy Ayoma
Welterweight: Lorna Kusa
Middleweight: Elizabeth Andiego, Elizabeth Akinyi
Team Officials
Team manager: Chrispine Onyango
Head coach: Benjamin Musa, David Munuhe (deputy head coach, John Waweru, Lemmy Katibi, Julius Theuri, Charles Mukula (coache)