Commonwealth Games defector Omari Kimweri's bid for a world title as an Australian

OMARI Kimweri came from Tanzania to Melbourne in 2006 for the Commonwealth Games - and never went back.

Omari Kimweri wants to become WBC straw-weight world champion when he takes on China's Xiong Zhao Zhong this month. Pictur

OMARI Kimweri came from Tanzania to Melbourne in 2006 for the Commonwealth Games - and never went back.

Choosing to go on the run rather than return to his African homeland, he walked out of the athletes' village at Parkville and hid on a tobacco farm in Myrtleford, before much later being granted Australian residency.

Now, in a tale of guts and determination, the boxer will fight for Australia to become a world champion.

Seven years after arriving on a plane convinced he would become an Aussie, he will on Monday apply for full citizenship as he prepares to fight for the World Boxing Council straw-weight championship.

"I love Australia,'' Kimweri said.

"If I win the world title, it will be for Australia, no one else.''

Kimweri, 31, is such a proud Aussie, the first thing he does when he competes overseas is pull his Australian flag from his suitcase and hangs it on a wall.

"It's always in my room with me,'' he said.

Omari was among 19 athletes who sought asylum during the Melbourne Games.

Fearing he would be deported, he slept rough in Footscray and Jacana before hiding in the Myrtleford tobacco fields.

"I ran away from the village,'' he said.

"I put my passport in my pocket and left everything else behind.

"I had decided when I left Tanzania that I was never going back because I

wanted to be an Australian.''

Kimweri is a genuine world-title contender, and trains at least four hours a day at Tarneit Boxing Gym.

This month, he takes on Xiong Zhao Zhong in China for the world title.

"I said no matter what, I wanted to stay in Australia so this will be for all the people in Australia that have helped me,'' Kimweri said.

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