A debut to forget for Pauline Chege at World Boxing Championships

National light featherweight champion Pauline Chege during a training session at Mathare Police Depot, Nairobi on March 10. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

National light featherweight champion Pauline Chege became the first Kenyan boxer to be eliminated from the World Women's Boxing Championships that boxed off in New Delhi, India on Thursday, March 16.

Chege was beaten by Reyes Moreno Noshbet of Guatemala on a unanimous points decision as Kenya commenced the two-week global showpiece on a disappointing note.

Having faced criticisms from retired international boxers following Kenya's dismal performance in international championships, the technical bench headed by Musa Benjamin will be hoping the team turns around its fortunes as the tournament progresses. 

Before leaving Nairobi, Benjamin expressed optimism about doing better this time compared to the past.

"We are out to improve on our performance in the international championships this time but it's a step at a time. Rome was not built in a day," Benjamin said in an earlier interview.

But Chege being the first African boxer to exit the event out of 41 boxers from 13 countries, it might have as well sent the wrong signal to the rest of the Kenyan boxers who are yet to fight.

Two more Kenyan boxers in flyweight Ann Wanjiru and bantamweight Amina Martha were due to take the right last evening. 

Wanjiru was to face off against Hellena Bagao of Mozambique while Martha was to battle with Landaeta Johana Carolina of Venezuela.

But it was a joy for Africa Zone Three heavyweight gold medallist Elizabeth Andiego as she qualified for the quarterfinals of the global championships without throwing a jab.

This was a repeat of last year's showpiece in Istanbul, Turkey where Andiego sailed into the last eight without fighting.

She is now expected to face the winner between Faritza Shotley of Kazakhstan and Lozam Boadram of Trinidad and Tobago in the next round.

Also proceeding in the next round without throwing a jab was light middleweight Lorna Kusa.

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