Hit Squad captain Boniface Mugunde believes Kenyan boxers can still secure a significant number of Paris 2024 Olympics berths in Italy and Thailand.

 The nation's attention has shifted to the repechage tournaments in the two countries after the 12-member Kenyan contingent returned home with an empty basket from the recently held African Olympic qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal. 

Mugunde has vowed to help salvage Kenya's battered image by rallying his teammates for a successful Olympic qualification campaign. 

"We had a bad outing in Senegal but we took note of our shortcomings are as and we are ready to give it another shot," Mugunde said. 

Mugunde said they gleaned some critical lessons in Dakar and during their 10-day training camp in Havana, Cuba, and this, he said will prove invaluable during the qualification process.

Mugunde challenged his teammates to prove their mettle in the qualifiers by applying what they had learned in Cuba.

 "We shall transfer the skills we learned in Cuba and the experience we acquired in Senegal into our next assignment both in Italy and Thailand. The qualifiers will be our biggest exam yet."

Kenya was represented by four boxers during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but none made it past the preliminary stages. 

Meanwhile, Hit Squad head coach Benjamin Musa has stressed the need for build-up tournaments to help Kenyan boxers jut out full claws ahead of the repechages. 

"Kenyan boxers need to start participating in more trips to get them ready for major international competitions," Musa said. 

Musa said they obtained some vital lessons from their unsuccessful hunt for Olympic slots in Dakar, Senegal. 

"We took note of the areas that we should work on," Musa said, adding that he asked his charges to leverage the stage in Italy and Thailand and punch as many tickets as possible to the 2024 Paris Olympics in France. 

"The two are among the tournaments lined up by the International Olympic Committee to create the pathways to the Paris 2024 Olympics. We all need to give it our best shot," Musa said.