Okoth too good for Gitiha in Nanyuki

By BEN AHENDA

Olympian Nick Okoth of the Armed Forces began his quest for top honours in future international assignments when he conquered Samson Gitiha of Nairobi A 3-0 as the Kenya Open Boxing Championships started at Riverside Hotel in Nanyuki on Thursday.

Okoth stopped Gitiha with ease in a bantamweight contest that underlined his quest to clinch tickets to international championships.

The tournament saw 53 boxers fighting for the 12 slots to the 2012 London Olympic Games and an equal number for next year’s All African Games in Mozambique.

Amateur Boxing Association of Kenya is keen on selecting players on merit, according to Secretary General Isaac Mbote and International Amateur Boxing Association referee Joseph Mwangi Muthoga.

In another bantamweight bout, Nick Karanja of Central forced the referee to stop the contest in the third round after he overwhelmed Francis Wamae of Nairobi in another preliminary match on the first day of the tournament. Kenya Police’s Martin Oduor defeated Suleiman Simba of Central, who retired in the second round of the bantanweight category.

Olympian Ibrahim Nassur of Kenya Prisons beat Michael Ochieng’ of Nyanza 3-0 in a one-sided lightweight contest as Patrick Owino of Nyanza beat Isaac Mukuria of Nanyuki. Musa Gitonga defeated Nakuru’s John Kariuki 3-2 in the same category.

In the last match of lightweight, Mureithi M of Nanyuki beat David Okoth of Nairobi in the first round. The event was sponsored by Post Bank, Mount Kenya Branch.