19th NSF: Anambra Boxers Target Better Outing

Sharks players in control of the ball during Glo league match in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently

The Anambra State Box
ing Association has said that it would feature in five categories at the 19th National Sports Festival (NSF), scheduled for November in Calabar, Cross River.
The Head Coach of the association, Innocent Nkwocha, told newsmen that the categories were the ones the association believed it had comparative advantage in.
“We are concentrating on five categories we believe we have comparative edge for our aim is to hit the set target.
“The categories are heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight and lightweight.
“We can boast of good boxers in these classes,” he said.
Nwokocha said that the state won no medal in boxing at the 18th NSF, held in 2012 in Lagos, saying the association had set agenda for winning medals in Calabar.
He added that the agenda was set by the immediate past governor of the state, Mr Peter Obi, for the state to get better result at the Calabar festival.
“The association had an unimpressive outing at the Eko Games in 2012.
“So, the state boxing association was inaugurated last August for improved performance at the next festival in Calabar.
“The association at the inauguration was handed a target to win gold at the Paradise Games,” Nwokocha said.
He added that apart from the National Youth Games, held in December in Abuja, the 19th NSF would be the next national assignment for the association.
“We have commenced a three-time weekly training at the Justice Ikpeazu Memorial Stadium, Onitsha with all the expected boxers in regular attendance.’’
He urged the state’s sports council to provide the boxers with necessary training equipment and allowances.
Nwokocha said that the boxers would be going into a closed camp by September to further keep them abreast with needed technicalities.
The state was 28th on the medals table at the last NSF with two silver medals and one bronze.