Kronik Warrior raise mental health awareness and funding through 24-hour Boxathon
July 19, 2022 | by Matt Halfpenny
The England Boxing-affiliated Kronik Warrior Adaptive Boxing Academy have successfully completed a 24-hour Boxathon.
A total of 25 boxers took part either online or at the club’s headquarters in Manchester with the aim of promoting awareness of the mental health benefits of boxing and to raise funds to keep free classes running.
The challenge was inspired by Abbie Parker, who sadly lost her dad, Andy, last year to suicide.
Kronik run a #Brainbox Programme which enables people to use boxing to work through mental health problems.
“Abbie came up with the idea because after losing her dad at the age of 16, she said boxing had not just changed her life but saved it at a time when she was struggling with the grief and her mental health,” said Luiz Faye, who runs Kronik Warriors and helped organised the Boxathon.
“She wanted to do something that would raise both awareness and funds at the same time, so it could help other people in the same way it has helped her.
“There were 18 people in the gym and another seven online, either in America or further down south in the UK who were not able to travel up to the gym.
“We had teams and a minimum of four people taking part at any one time, but some people did up to 14 hours!
“The work people put in was varied – bags, pads, shadow boxing, skipping, foot drills and wheel drills – the main thing was to keep moving.
“Every six hours we went live on Zoom and Instagram and we also had someone doing TikTok updates too.
“The hardest part was that people still had to get some sleep in. Some people had a rest in their cars, some in the comfy chairs we have in the gym… wherever they could basically!”
Kronik hope to raise £1,000 in all from the Challenge and estimate they have raised £840 so far.
Luiz added: “It would be great if we could have a last push to get over that mark as it’s for a great cause.
“Words can’t describe how proud I am of those who took part. I always say that while I set them crazy challenges, I only do it because I know they will rise to them. Every single person went above and beyond.
“We’ve always had a very strong bond as a group, but that has improved 10-fold. For us, it really is a boxing family.
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