Bronze medallist Ongare calls for proper preparations before major assignments

Philip Muchiri, a veteran broadcast journalist, is our lead reporter at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast,Australia.

The only Kenyan boxing medal winner at this year’s Commonwealth Games, Christine Ongare says if more fights are arranged for Kenyan female boxers, they would be able to prepare well for such a major championship.

Ongare who took home a bronze medal  despite losing her semi final bout to Carly McNaul of Northern Ireland, says lack of fights back home in Kenya, meant that she could not sustain several bouts in few days.

“In Kenya we go straight to the finals, we are not many boxers and you only fight once in a year, if I could get a chance to fight severally then I would get used,”She told Citizen Digital.

“I started very well in the first round, in fact this opponent was not good as the one I defeated in the quarterfinals, but here you get tired,” She added.

Ongare lost 5-0 to the northern Irish fighter, but she goes home a bronze medallist having already been assured of a bronze medal after qualifying for the semi finals.

“I believe it should have been a split point decision, but she had the advantage because she was strong, I was supposed to fight in the light flyweight category, and she is from bantamweight, if I had more strength this fight could have been mine”.

“I already had a bronze from Africa, my target here was silver, I will go home not a happy person but its okay many failed to get anything.”

Kenya had 10 fighters, seven men and three women in this year’s club games.