This new generation of boxers will have the heavy responsibility of improving the medal record of Moroccan boxing at the Olympic Games, after the two bronze medals won by Abdelhak Achik in Seoul (1988) then in Barcelona (1992) and those won respectively by Tahar Tamesmani in Sidney (2000) and by Mohamed Rabii in Rio De Janeiro (2016).
It is certain that the three Moroccan boxers, who validated their tickets for the Tokyo Olympics, while awaiting the qualification of other boxers during the next eliminatory stage, will defend the national colors in the hope of doing better than a bronze medal and build on the successes achieved recently during the African Games played in Rabat and the Dakar qualifying championship for the Olympics.
In this sense, the national coach, the Cuban Dagoberto Rojas Scott, indicated that “the preparations for the Tokyo Olympics are going well”, noting that for his first internship that the selection is currently carrying out at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, the emphasis is placed on the physical aspect, especially after a stoppage of more than four months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Currently, three boxers have validated their qualification for the next Olympics,” said Mr. Dagoberto Rojas, adding that the next objective will be to qualify three other boxers during the eliminations which will take place in Paris and whose date has still not been determined. not been fixed after its postponement.
“The Moroccan team includes boxers with good physical and technical abilities,” said the coach in a statement to MAP, noting that the technical executives who supervise them must take advantage of these abilities and use them rationally.
The national coach stressed that all components of the national team will do their best to win an Olympic medal like previous editions, recalling that the last medal won by national boxing dates back to the Rio De Janeiro Olympics.
For his part, national executive Youssef Sorour affirmed that the training carried out at home during the four months of confinement was not enough to maintain the technical and physical abilities of the boxers. This course scheduled by the Royal Moroccan Boxing Federation in Ifrane would allow national elements to regain their physical condition, he added.
“The path to the Olympics will be strewn with pitfalls for the three qualified boxers,” warned Mr. Sorour, recalling that at the first eliminatory stage in Dakar, several African teams displayed the extent of their talents and demonstrated that They were able to compete with the big European teams.
If the concern of the technical staff of the Moroccan boxing team is limited, for the moment, to properly preparing and qualifying the other boxers for the Olympics, the national elements agree to say that the objective is to climb on the podium and hoisting the national flag in Tokyo.
Thus, the national colors will be defended by Khadija El Mardi (75 kg), the first African boxer to win a bronze medal at the World Championships (Russia 2019), Rabab Cheddar (51 kg), Oumaima Belhabib (69 kg), Younes Baala (91 kg) Abdelhak Nadir (63 kg) and Mohamed Seghir (81 kg).
The qualification of these boxers is the result of serious work carried out to restructure the national boxing training system since 2015 through the creation of a Moroccan boxing school and the preparation of athletes on a permanent basis.
Carried out by the national team at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane since September 16, this course is part of the support provided by the Moroccan National Olympic Committee (CNOM) to national sports federations whose athletes have qualified or have a chance to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled for July 23 to August 8, 2021.
This support confirms the CNOM’s desire to provide additional financial resources to the federations, in order to improve the preparation conditions for high-level athletes in anticipation of participation in the Olympic Games.
2024-10-05 20:40:39