Boxing fraternity marks International Boxing Day at Nyayo
National team boxer Christine Ongare works out at Nyayo National Stadium as part of celebrations to mark the International Boxing Day on August 27, 2021.
What you need to know:
- The event, which was held for the first time in Kenya was attended by boxing legends namely George “Foreman” Onyango, Omar Ahmed Rajab “Kasongo”, Peter Odhiambo, Kenneth “Valdez” Ochieng’
- Kenya Defence Forces Amateur Boxing Association (DEFABA), Kenya Police boxing team, popularly known as “Chafua Chafua” and Kenya Prisons also took part in the one-day event
- Nineteen boxers from the current Hit Squad team including Nick “Commander” Okoth, Christine Ongare, Elly Ajowi and Elizabeth Akinyi who competed at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan were also present
Over 100 people Friday gathered at Nyayo National Stadium car park area in Nairobi as Kenya joined the rest of the world in celebrating the International Boxing Day.
The event, which was held for the first time in Kenya was attended by boxing legends namely George “Foreman” Onyango, Omar Ahmed Rajab “Kasongo”, Peter Odhiambo, Kenneth “Valdez” Ochieng’, Stephen Muchoki and Abdulrahman Ramadhan as well as recently retired pugilists like Benson Gicharu and Nickson Abaka.
All 16 county boxing associations had five representatives each at Nyayo. The counties are Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Nakuru, Kajiado, Trans Nzoia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, Murang’a, Embu, Meru and Machakos.
Nairobi was represented by 30 people among them, children. Kenya Defence Forces Amateur Boxing Association (DEFABA), Kenya Police boxing team, popularly known as “Chafua Chafua” and Kenya Prisons also took part in the one-day event.
Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) president Anthony Ombok Otieno aka Jamal led the celebrations whose theme was “Boxing Unites”.
“The celebrations aimed at creating awareness on boxing… boxing is a non-violent sport, safe and people should engage in and enjoy. It improves fitness levels of the participants,” Kenya national boxing team (Hit Squad) head coach Benjamin Moses told Nation Sport.
Participants did various boxing exercises, including spinning, shadow-boxing, stepping, aerobics and Zumba (a fitness program that combines Latin and international music with dance moves).
Nineteen boxers from the current Hit Squad team including Nick “Commander” Okoth, Christine Ongare, Elly Ajowi and Elizabeth Akinyi who competed at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan were also present.
According to insidethegames.biz, International Boxing Day will take place every year on August 27 from 2021.
The date, the website says, ties in with the first edition of the International Boxing Federation (AIBA) World Championships held in Cuba in 1974 between August 17 and August 30 in Havana where the host country topped the medal table.
International Boxing Day was first held in 2017. “After that, fans, athletes and stakeholders alike were encouraged to come together to celebrate boxing every year on July 22. The new August 27 date was confirmed in July 2021.”
