KENYA PICKS 8 BOXERS FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Head coach Musa Benjamin parades Kenya’s strongest ever team for Women’s World Championships in Serbia
_Standing from left head coach Musa Benjamin, lightweight Emily Juma, welterweight Friza Anyango, light-flyweight Veronica Mbithe, flyweight Lencer Akinyi, bantamweight Amina Martha,_ _light-welterweight Cynthia Mwai, featherweight Pauline Chege and light-heavyweight Liz Andiego. Squatting is Faith Nafuna.
Kenya’s national boxing team head coach Musa Benjamin has selected a star-studded team for the 2025 Women’s World Championships scheduled for Nis, Serbia, next month. It’s the strongest ever nationai female team to represent the East African nation in a major international tournament.
The eight-member team comprises Mandela African Boxing Cup middleweight gold medallist and two-time Africa Championships silver medallist Elizabeth Andiego who is also the captain, Africa Military Games welterweight champion Friza Anyango, Kenya’s first ever female boxer to win a medal in the African Games, bantamweight Amina Martha who won bronze in the continental Games in Accra, African Military Games light-flyweight silver medallist Veronica Mbithe, featherweight Pauline Chege, lightweight Emily Juma, light-welterweight Cynthia Mwai and flyweight Lencer Akinyi who together with Emily Juma and Cynthia Mwai are making their international debut.
It’s Kenya’s fifth time to take part in Women’s World Boxing Championships having previously participated in the 2010, 2012, 2022, 2023 editions.
I interviewed national team head coach Musa Benjamin on their preparations and prospects in Serbia.
*What are you mostly focusing on during your training?*
Besides the muscle, cardio and neurological conditioning, a lot of emphasis is on scoring and defense as well as getting in and out of range without compromising one’s position. The team leaves on the 4th of March in time for sports entry check, technical meeting and draws.
What are Kenya’s prospects in Serbia?
We’re going with high hopes of performing well despite inadequate preparations. We have three debutants we hope will put up their best performance. We might also be lucky for the draw to favour some of our boxers.
What challenges are you facing now in your training?
A non-residential training camp poses several challenges. It’s impossible to have the requisite three sessions a day, and you can’t also monitor the boxers because we’re not in a residential training camp. Lack of equipment is also a big headache.
If you had a choice how would have preferred to prepare for Women’s World Championships?
The team would have trained and competed against the established women boxing countries in various tournaments both in Africa and outside before going to Serbia.
With such inadequate preparations is it possible to challenge the top boxing nations in Serbia?
Nothing is impossible in the ring provided the boxers are physically and mentally ok but of course it’s not easy to compete against the top nations without training camps and exposure tournaments.
What do you think is needed for African female boxers to excel regularly in such major tournaments?
African governments and well wishers must invest in women’s boxing. The potential is there but nurturing and guiding them to the top requires serious support. Long-term training camps, proper motivation and exposure tournaments before the big championships is mandatory
