This archive report was first published on 24 July 2019.
July 24, 2019
Kenya's boxing team was once a force to be reckoned with, but the sport's glory days are now a distant memory. In the 1980s and early 2000s, the mention of the Kenya boxing team would send shivers down the spines of other countries and raptures to Kenyan fans.
However, the current state of Kenyan boxing is a far cry from its former glory. Today, the team's participation in tournaments often yields only bronze medals, if they're lucky.
According to Bakari Welunga, a coach at Ziwani, the decline of Kenyan boxing can be attributed to poor equipment and a lack of serious attention given to boxers. He notes that boxers often lack the necessary resources, including food, which affects their training and performance.
“Boxing requires a good diet, but most of the time boxers end up sleeping hungry because they lack people who look out for them,” Welunga said.
With the appointment of a new BAK President, Anthony Omboka Otieno, also known as Jamal, there is hope for a change in the sport's fortunes. Jamal has been touring the country, distributing boxing equipment and organizing tournaments, including the recent Mombasa boxing tournament.
Welunga has called on Jamal to visit Ziwani hall, where the situation is dire, with a lack of tournaments and a reliance on fixed matches between coaches.
