African Games: Black Bombers coach aims for elusive gold  

The head trainer of Ghana's amateur boxing team, Kwasi Ofori Asare, says he is aiming for a medal haul with the Black Bombers at the upcoming African Games, winning gold for Ghana for the first time in 33 years.

Flyweight Steven Dotse Ahialey was the last Ghanaian to win gold in boxing at the African Games in Cairo in 1991 after scoring a unanimous points decision against Anicet Rasonnaivo of Madagascar in the final of the 48kg class.

Breaking jinx

Since then, Ghana has won many medals in boxing at the African Games but failed to land the coveted gold medal. More than three decades later, Coach Asare expresses the hope to lead his talented boxers to break that jinx on home soil.

"We are the hosts and my biggest challenge is now to win gold, and to break the jinx after 33 years," he told the Daily Graphic in an exclusive interview at the team's training camp at the University of Ghana in Accra last Tuesday.

With barely a week to the start of the competition, the experienced coach, along with five other trainers -- -- Elvis Robertson, Frank Addo, Benjamin Tetteh, Lartekwei Lartey and Vincent Akai Nettey --  is overseeing intensive preparation by a team of 20, comprising seven female boxers and 13 male boxers who have all set their sights on winning medals at the March 8 - 24 competition. 

Olympic spots

While eyeing a medal haul at the African Games, Coach Asare and some of his boxers are also focused on winning spots at this year's Olympic Games in Paris. They are set to travel to Italy to participate in an Olympic qualifying event in Busto Arsizio.

After failing to secure qualification last year, the Ghana coach is looking at making amends at the March 4 - 11 event.

"We are hopeful in qualifying some of our boxers for the Olympic Games; in Senegal we had obstacles and only one boxer could qualify from each weight division, but at the Italy competition four boxers can qualify from each weight division."

"We are focused, we have a game plan and our boxers are well prepared for the Olympic qualifiers and the African Games," he assured.

Despite the dual focus on the African Games and Olympic qualifiers, the Black Bombers' schedule allows them to compete in Italy before returning home to participate in the boxing contests starting March 15 at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra.