Badou Jack, the sole Gambian boxer bound for the Beijing Olympic Games participated in Germany’s Chemistry Cup as his first international warm up event before the August Olympics.

Badou was sponsored by the Anglo-Gambian sports project, Plymouth-Banjul Challenge, through the Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC).

“We sought sponsorship for Badou to take part in the Germany competition because he is a great boxer,” GNOC deputy executive director Lawrence Bruce told gambisports.gm.

“We have high hopes in Badou,” he added.

Boxers from all the continents took part in the five-day event held in the German city of Halle from June 18 to June 22.

In the 75kg category Badou made it to the quarter-final where he lost on points to local favourite Kevin Künzel.

Despite an unusually early exit for the 24-year-old former Swedish and European champion, Olympic authorities in his adoptive country are determined to further support their solo boxer for Beijing.

“We are also planning for Badou to take part in another international competition in Spain before the Beijing Olympics,” Bruce disclosed.

Badou sealed his place in the summer Olympic Games after winning all his bouts at the African qualifiers held in Namibia last March, a few months after he changed his Swedish nationality in order to compete for the Gambia.

Badou had planned to visit the Gambia last April, nearly eight years since his only ever trip, but his intentions were not realized.

“Unfortunately, after his plans failed in April, there isn’t much time left to bring Badou home before the Olympics, but it won’t be long after the Beijing Games before Gambians finally get to see and appreciate him,” Bruce explained.

On behalf of the GNOC the deputy executive director thanked Plymouth-Banjul Challenge for sponsoring Badou’s participation in the Germany competition.

“The best way to motivate Badou Jack to do well for the Gambia is to ensure that he gets the best preparation for the Beijing Games, hence the importance of the support of Plymouth-Banjul for which the GNOC is immensely grateful,” Bruce concluded.

Culled from Gambiasports.gm