With all members of the Road to London program accounted for, the three week camp finally got underway in Cardiff, Wales, with a busy first day scheduled for the eager boxers. Slowly ridding themselves of their jet lag and acclimatising to the cold conditions, the athletes from all four corners of the globe were introduced to their new surroundings.
First up was the early morning run, with a 7am start, on Taff Trail in the centre of Cardiff, the terrain for endurance training. This circuit will be taken on every morning with the intensity of the runs being cranked up each day to gradually get the boxers up to the levels of the best in the business.
On return to the hotel, the men and women were given a rest period in order for them to recover from their morning efforts before being transferred to the University of Cardiff where they will be put through their paces. On day one, it was back to basics, with a stripped down session designed to flush out all the toxins accumulated from long days of travel.
In the upcoming days, there will be a huge variation in the work undertaken by the participants with a timetable constructed around the needs and requirements of the modern day boxer. Once the camp over, all 64 men and women will be fine-tuned fighting machines and be in the best shape of their lives, primed and ready for the upcoming AIBA Continental Olympic Qualifying Events.
"I am so excited to be here, I have already started dreaming about carrying my country's flag at the London 2012 Olympic Games. It is premature I know but I cannot help it. I believe though that being part of the Road to London program will help me achieve my goals", declared St Vincent's Keithland Joel King upon arriving at the start of the three-week camp.
Ivory Coast's Women boxer Brou Marie Jeanne Ambe said, "I look forward to learning new techniques but above all what I want to become as quick and agile as the modern day boxers".
There are a few surprises in store for the members of this training program. And this is just the beginning, stay tuned as we keep you updated on these athletes journey.
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