By SANDRA MWILA and ADRIAN MWANZA –
ENGLAND boxing team coach Mick Driscol has expressed confidence that Zambian boxers have what it takes to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Driscol has been attached to the national team preparing for the Rio qualifiers to be held in Yaoundé, Cameroon by the National Olympic Committee.
He said in an interview yesterday that he will be with the team till the qualifiers and that he was impressed with the boxers who looked physically fit but that there was still need to work on technique.
“Definitely some of these boys will make it to the Olympics. We have a strong team, they are fit and we only need to work on some techniques.
The boxers will need to work on their movements, attack and defensive techniques,” he said.
The boxers in camp are Mbachi Kaonga, Ben Muziyo, Emmanuel Ngoma, Caristo Banda and Nkumbu Silungwe.
Meanwhile, Kennedy Kanyanta has vowed not to bow to pressure and step down as national coach as he still had a lot to offer in terms of developing the sport in the country.
Kanyanta said in an interview at the weekend that he was set on using his experience to help the Zambia boxers qualify for the Olympics.
“I am a qualified coach and I have a lot of experience in the sport. The boxers have shown great resilience and are in good shape and can make the country proud at the Olympics,” he said.
On the controversial return to the national coaching position, Kanyanta said has done so with pride.
He said it was unfair for anyone to condemn his move and that he would no longer involve himself in any squabbles but concentrate on improving the standards of boxing.