17 June 2011
The Zambia Amateur Boxing Federation (ZABF) has drawn up an intensive training programme for the 2011 Maputo All Africa Games provisional national team.
ZABF president, Stephen Simpemba said four boxers would be sent for a tight three-week training camp in Glasgow, Scotland. Others would participate at the Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Ndola and the Commercial and Agriculture Show in Lusaka.
He said the programme had been tailored with the help from the National Olympic Committee of Zambia and the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) management.
Simpemba said in Ndola yesterday that the Glasgow-bound boxers wouldleave on July 4 under the London 2012 Olympic Games programme while ZABF was courting Kenya for an international tournament during the Lusaka Show in August.
ZABF is also planning to host a national tournament at the ZITF in Ndola this month end, saying with the scheduled two tournaments the pugilists could be moulded into medal winners at the Pan-African games set for September in the Mozambican capital, Maputo.
He said Cuban coach, Gabriel Fernandez, who has been attached to the team at the OYDC in Lusaka, had expressed satisfaction with the boxers’ progression and that they were showing the championship skills.
The technical staff led by coach, Wisdom Mudenda was now concentrating on the tactical and scientific approach to boxing.
The Glasgow-bound boxers to be led by trainee coach, Davy Mwale are light-flyweight, Christopher Katanga, flyweight, Obed Mutapa, lightweight, Douglas Banda and African Under-20 middleweight champion,Benny Muziyo.
While the senior team will be heading for the All Africa Games in September, the youth squad of Mutapa and Charles Lumbwe would be travelling to England to compete in the Commonwealth Under-20 Games.
AllAfrica – All the Time