AAG: Coaches concerned about weight of boxers

Algiers, July 12, GNA - Ghana's Boxing Head coach, Roberto Ibanez Chavez and his assistant, Ofori Asare are worried about the attitude of their boxers ahead of the boxing segment of the Ninth All Africa Games currently underway in Algiers, Algeria. Just hours to the weigh-in, which takes place on Thursday, the coaches had to drill their boys to shed excess weight they had amassed since arriving in the Algerian capital.

Coach Roberto was visibly worried as he made three of the medal hopefuls hit the road vigourously on Wednesday morning, while the others went through light training.

After about two hours drill which ended at about 09:00 hrs Algerian time (10:00 GMT) the entire squad was back in training by 13:00 hrs. GMT.

And at lunch time, coach Ofori policed the boxers and controlled the quantity of food they consumed and castigated them for over indulgence.

He even seized bottles of water the boys had removed from the dinning hall and insisted that they should be kept in his room. Commenting on the situation, coach Roberto said, 'Too much food, too much food, and three kilos over just three days' as he pointed to Moses Dormenyo.

He was however optimistic that the boys would all make the weight and do Ghana proud.

Ghana has a strong field of nine boxers and three officials including R.O. Lamptey Jnr., General Secretary of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) The boxers are Manyo Plange, 48kg; Issah Samir, 54kg; Frederick Lawson, 57kg; Samuel Kotey Neequaye, 60kg; and Moses Dormenyo, 64kg. The rest are Bastir Samir, 69kg; Ahmed Saraku, 75kg; Emmanuel Danso, 81kg and Awusome Yekini, 91kg.