‘Hit Squad’ captain Andiego still pained by Paris Olympics miss

Hit Squad failed to qualify a single boxer for the Olympics as the sport sank to an all-time low, missing out on the Summer Games slots for the first time in 32 years.

The new criteria implemented by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), emphasized on only African gold medallists to make it to Paris thus making it more challenging for Kenyan boxers to secure a spot.

Kenya stumbled at African qualifiers held in Dakar, Senegal in September last year and also failed to redeem their qualifying chances later in Thailand and Italy, missing the Summer Games for the first time since 1992.

According to Andiego, the changes in the qualification process affected many athletes, including herself, who might have had a better chance under the previous system.

“It’s unfortunate that we missed the Olympics 2024 but we did our best considering that the qualifying criteria for this edition was a little bit different. They were choosing only one boxer per weight category in the African qualifiers which was a bit hard. But we did our best and I managed to finish second of which if it were in the previous criteria I could have qualified,” said Andiego.

Andiego’s concerns reflect broader frustrations among athletes in Kenya and other nations where access to high-level international competitions can be limited.

Despite these setbacks, Andiego and other Kenyan boxers remain hopeful for future opportunities and continue to advocate for better support and more accessible pathways to international competitions.

“On my side I am doing my best to make sure that I also encourage myself and upcoming young boxers because they are the future of the sport.

“It’s all about making them know that they can make it because becoming an Olympian is a very big achievement. So I am still here to push them and I know we will be in Los Angeles come 2028 though we still have to put more emphasis in our preparations.”