Race against time for 2008 Olympics boxers
Mar 04, 2008
UGANDA could fail to field a boxer at the Olympics for the first time if officials fail to convince Cuban coach Jiminez Gonzalez about the potential of the pugilists he is training.
By James Bakama and Samson Opus
UGANDA could fail to field a boxer at the Olympics for the first time if officials fail to convince Cuban coach Jiminez Gonzalez about the potential of the pugilists he is training.
With the final qualifier in Namibia for the Beijing 2008 just weeks away, Gonzalez fears he lacks the quality needed to participate at the games. But boxing officials claimed the coach is using Cuban standards to judge his Ugandan fighters, which they say is not fair.
Boxing is Uganda’s best Olympic sport, having brought the country three silver medals and two bronze since 1968 in Mexico.
Gonzalez revealed yesterday that even after three weeks of intensive training, he still cannot identify talent that can qualify for the Olympics.
The tactician’s observation therefore puts in balance Uganda’s participation in this month’s qualifier in Namibia.
“The standard is down. Training facilities are poor,†noted the coach, who started residential training sessions at Lugogo yesterday.
Gonzalez reduced the squad from 28 to 20 after sparring sessions that had mainly the heavy and super heavyweights falling victim.
Some UABF officials who want Uganda to go to Namibia are however of the view that Gonzalez is raising the bar too high.
“He is relating our standards to Cuba. But standards are currently generally low in Africa,†said UPDF coach Kent Musa.
Gonzalez is also said that the time between the National Open from which the squad was named and the qualifier is too short.
After discovering what he described as an acute lack of basics at the Open last month, Gonzalez has been taking the squad through fundamentals.
Uganda’s top boxers Sharif Bogere (light), Phillip Adyak (fly) and Edward Akora (welter) went missing in Chicago last year.
A total of 30 boxers will qualify from Namibia, filling Africa’s quota of 60 boxers to the prestigious quadrennial games.
Only two African boxers got Beijing berths from the first qualifier at the Chicago World Championship last year.
Another 28 made it from a second competition in Algeria recently.
UGANDA could fail to field a boxer at the Olympics for the first time if officials fail to convince Cuban coach Jiminez Gonzalez about the potential of the pugilists he is training.
With the final qualifier in Namibia for the Beijing 2008 just weeks away, Gonzalez fears he lacks the quality needed to participate at the games. But boxing officials claimed the coach is using Cuban standards to judge his Ugandan fighters, which they say is not fair.
Boxing is Uganda’s best Olympic sport, having brought the country three silver medals and two bronze since 1968 in Mexico.
Gonzalez revealed yesterday that even after three weeks of intensive training, he still cannot identify talent that can qualify for the Olympics.
The tactician’s observation therefore puts in balance Uganda’s participation in this month’s qualifier in Namibia.
“The standard is down. Training facilities are poor,†noted the coach, who started residential training sessions at Lugogo yesterday.
Gonzalez reduced the squad from 28 to 20 after sparring sessions that had mainly the heavy and super heavyweights falling victim.
Some UABF officials who want Uganda to go to Namibia are however of the view that Gonzalez is raising the bar too high.
“He is relating our standards to Cuba. But standards are currently generally low in Africa,†said UPDF coach Kent Musa.
Gonzalez is also said that the time between the National Open from which the squad was named and the qualifier is too short.
After discovering what he described as an acute lack of basics at the Open last month, Gonzalez has been taking the squad through fundamentals.
Uganda’s top boxers Sharif Bogere (light), Phillip Adyak (fly) and Edward Akora (welter) went missing in Chicago last year.
A total of 30 boxers will qualify from Namibia, filling Africa’s quota of 60 boxers to the prestigious quadrennial games.
Only two African boxers got Beijing berths from the first qualifier at the Chicago World Championship last year.
Another 28 made it from a second competition in Algeria recently.