After the hardest and most gruelling three weeks of his life, Lomalito 'Lomu' Moala can finally reflect on a tremendous physical and mental journey, as part of the 64 boxers who participated in the Road to London program in the Welsh capital, Cardiff.
"This camp completely exceeded all my expectations. I never expected it to be this tough. I learned so much in such a short space of time, I now feel great, revitalised and I am eager to put what I have learned into practise", declared the popular Tongan as he makes the long journey home before going to the upcoming AIBA Oceania Olympic Qualifying Event in Canberra, Australia, from 20-26 March.
Under the strict but fair regime of boxing legend and Head Coach Colin Jones, nicknamed 'The Punch' in his boxing heyday, Moala enjoyed every minute he spent with his colleagues and new found friends. He stated, "It was a real privilege to be training with all these talented fighters".
After one of the most intense training schedules, each individual has reached new levels of fitness and to that add a whole new repertoire of skills learned. "This training camp has really put us on a par with some of the bigger and stronger nations and has given everyone the belief that we can compete with the best and qualify for the London 2012 Olympic Games", assured the 22-year-old, "Everyone put in the hard work and now it is time to go back and perform to the best of our abilities".
"I would like to thank AIBA for giving me the opportunity to be part of this Road to London training camp. Also giving me the chance to share my thoughts on behalf of all the fighters has been great. I must give a big mention to the participating coaches who made the boxers' training near perfect. Above all though, none of this would have been possible without the incredible dedication of the AIBA coaches, Christy, Tina are the main man himself, Colin Jones. And even if they seemed to never stop ripping into me, I will forever remember this incredible experience", added Lomu.
On a personal level, the ambitious Moala wanted to thank his parents,"They have been the driving force in my life, they have ever stopped believing in me. I hope that I can repay them for their unwavering faith by clinching a place at the Olympic Games".
He concluded by wishing the rest of the Road to London participants the best of luck in their attempts to qualify for London 2012 to make their dreams come true.
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