NATIONAL team boxing coach Wisdom Mudenda has urged Africa Championship bound boxers to remain disciplined and focused if they are to deliver medals in Mozambique next month.

Eight boxers are set to represent the country in Mozambique at the premier annual showpiece that will run from September 9-18. Commonwealth Games silver and bronze medallists Stephen Zimba and Patrick Chinyemba are expected to lead six other boxers yet to be named at the Championships.

Coach Mudenda said the team had limited time to prepare but stressed the need for discipline and commitment to training.

“We are yet to enter camp because we just returned from the Commonwealth Games. We are taking a team of eight boxers but we are yet to name the final team. We don’t have enough time to prepare, so it will be important for the boxers to [be] disciplined and focused if we are to win medals in Mozambique,” Mudenda said.

Mudenda said he was confident that boxers would reap medals at Championships because of the commitment and hard work they have been putting in.

He said Zambia had a lot of talented boxers that can win a lot of accolades for the country with the right support and exposure.

“A lot of the boxers are motivated after seeing Zimba and Chinyemba win medals at the Commonwealth Games. They now understand the importance of hard work after realising that sport is also a source of income,” said Mudenda.

And boxer Chinyemba said he has shifted focus to Africa Championships were he wants to mint a gold medal.

Chinyemba said he believes 2022 was his year of achieving his set targets in respect of the late Anthony Mwamba who was his coach.

“The Commonwealth Games are history and the silver medal is motivating me to go for bigger things. My target at the Africa Championships is to win a gold medal as we prepare for the All Africa Championships. There is no resting because I know what I want to achieve,” said Chinyemba.